Bitten
by standardblack
Summary: Kate contracts a mysterious illness. Mostly Jack and Kate, with some Sawyer for my Skater friends...
1. Default Chapter

**Title:** Bitten

**Author's Note:** Thanks Foxygirl33 for your excellent comments and additions!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. Except my cat. And neither one of us are profitting from this venture.

Kate looked up at the sun beating down on her. It was only midday and she had already finished her usual island chores. She had piled more wood onto the signal fire, delivered some fish to the caves, picked some fresh bananas and mangos, and pulled a few weeds from the garden she and Sun had been working on. After nearly a month on the island, she had become more efficient and seemed to have more free time each day. Sitting idly on the beach was ok for some people, Shannon in particular, it seemed. But Kate had never been good at sitting still for very long. Too much time to think when you're sitting still; too much time to remember.

Feeling frustrated, Kate sighed and leaned back until she was lying flat on the hot sand. She watched as the clouds drifted past above her, melting into different shapes as they drifted toward the horizon. _Funny how so many of them took on the shape of rescue boats,_ she thought wryly. Although, one was unmistakably a flower. Kate smiled. She had always liked flowers. When she was younger, her mother always had fresh flowers on the kitchen table. If Kate tried hard enough she could still smell their sweet scent drifting through the house.

Suddenly, Kate had an idea. There were lots of beautiful, exotic flowers on the island, and it would be fun to create her own little flower garden. It was just the kind of project she needed. With that, Kate grabbed her backpack and a bottle of water and headed for the jungle.

Twenty minutes later she had already collected a beautiful array of pinks, reds, and deep oranges. Kate recognized orchids, birds-of-paradise, and red hibiscus, but hoped Sun could identify the others for her. She planned to plant then in a small clearing she knew of just outside the caves. She reoriented herself and began walking in that direction, but stopped when she noticed a brilliant yellow peeking out from under the tall grass. _I don't have any yellow yet, _she thought. Kate bent down and began tenderly digging the flower's roots out of the damp earth. She felt a sharp sting on the inside of her left wrist, and looked down to see a particularly large spider.

"Ow!", Kate yelled, jumping back in surprise and swatting the spider away.

"What? What's the matter?", a voice called from several yards behind her.

Kate turned abruptly and found herself face to face with Sawyer.

"What the hell are you doing out here, Sawyer? Following me again?"

"Wouldn't have to if you'd quit walkin' off into the black forest all alone," he said, annoyed at her reaction.

Kate sighed, not in the mood to argue with him. She turned back to the yellow flower and freed the last of the roots from the dirt.

"So… what exactly are you up to anyway?", Sawyer asked. "Pickin' a nice bouquet for Jackass?"

"Most people don't include roots and dirt in a bouquet," Kate retorted. She wasn't really angry with him, but this was the game they played; trading jabs and sarcasm was easier than acknowledging that anything real or honest had ever passed between them.

"Well, what do I know? I ain't exactly the flowers and candy type," he replied, his lips tilted up into a sexy half smile.

Sawyer always enjoyed these exchanges with Kate. He had a suspicion that she did, too, although she would never admit it. Everyone else on the island was fairly predictable, but he was never quite sure what to expect from her, and he liked that.

"So seriously, Freckles, what are you doing out here?"

Kate paused. "Making a flower garden," she replied, expecting him to laugh.

Sawyer raised an eyebrow. "You're nesting now, Freckles? Does this mean you've given up on a rescue any time soon?"

"It just means I was bored, okay?" Kate turned from him and started for the caves.

Sawyer jogged to catch up. "Well, hey-- why'd you yell a few minutes ago?"

"What? Oh, it was nothing. Something bit me. A spider, I think," she replied, scratching absently at the welt that had risen on her wrist.


	2. Part 2

Several hours later, Kate had managed to clear a patch of earth with some makeshift tools. _Now for the fun part_, she thought happily. In a few minutes she had restored the plants into the ground and sat back on her heels to enjoy their effect. She felt a tinge of remorse at having wasted her afternoon on something so inconsequential, but her sore muscles reminded her that she had done quite a bit of work for the camp lately, too, and that lessened her guilt.

Kate stood up, intending to go to the caves for water to bring back for the plants, but as she stood up she felt strangely light-headed. _Maybe I'd better get some more water for myself, too,_ she thought. She steadied herself and continued on. Kate paused at the cave entrance, hoping she didn't have dirt all over her face in case Jack was there. _What is going on with you?, _she chided herself. _Since when do you care about looking pretty?_

Jack looked up as Kate walked into the caves. She caught his eye on her way to the waterfall, and he gave her a quick smile. He hadn't seen her at the beach earlier and his first impulse was to rush right over to talk to her. Talking with Kate was part of his daily routine now, and he had felt a strange emptiness when he hadn't seen her at the beach earlier.

Not wanting to appear desperate, though, Jack forced himself to wait a few minutes before approaching her. After all, he never minded watching her from afar either. She was just so… graceful. And beautiful. But he had to be careful; she had caught him last time, out in the jungle when she was collecting seeds.

Jack was just about to turn back to his inventory of the medical supplies when Kate stood up from filling her bottle. She swayed slightly and put her free hand up to her head, a pained expression on her face. Jack was on his feet immediately, steadying her with a hand on her elbow.

"Hey, you alright?", he asked softly, concern in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kate replied, attempting a smile. "Just the heat, I guess."

Jack wasn't convinced. "Are you sure? You look a little…"

"Dirty?", Kate supplied.

"I was going to say pale."

Jack was in full doctor-mode now, and Kate knew better than to argue with him. She didn't protest as he led her to the make-shift infirmary. His warm hand on her elbow made her skin tingle. _This is not helping with the dizziness,_ she thought to herself.

Jack sat her down in an airline seat and crouched down in front of her. His trained eyes examined her face and she felt a little self-conscious. "You're definitely pale, Kate. How long have you been feeling dizzy?", he asked.

"Just for a few minutes. I'm fine, Jack, really. I just spent too much time in the sun."

"Well, heatstroke is nothing to laugh about. Just sit for a few minutes and drink some water while I examine you, okay?" Jack looked at her intently, waiting for the go-ahead. Kate had been prepared to protest a little more, but one look into Jack's kind eyes, and she lost all command of the English language.

She simply nodded in agreement, and Jack tenderly grasped her wrist to check her pulse. Kate could have easily told him it was racing, but she was pretty sure heatstroke had nothing to do with it.

"What's this?", Jack asked, noticing a dark red welt on the inside of her wrist.

"Nothing, just a spider bite." Kate was a little embarrassed at all the attention Jack was giving her over seemingly nothing.

"It's swollen. Does it hurt?", he asked, skimming his thumb over the delicate skin.

_Not anymore,_ she thought, smiling inwardly. She realized he was still waiting for an answer. "It's a bug bite, Jack. I think I'll live."

"You're a terrible patient, you know that?", he remarked, grinning up at her. But suddenly his face turned serious.

"Kate, your pulse is racing." Before she even had time to answer his hands were on her neck, his fingertips delicately tracing her jaw. "Your glands are swollen, too."

"Jack, I--"

"You're not fine, Kate. I want you to rest here for at least an hour. And drink that whole bottle of water, too."

In truth, Kate_ was _feeling a little strange. "Okay, but only for an hour," she relented, giving him a small smile.

"Good," Jack answered, relieved that she wasn't going to argue anymore. "I have to make a quick trip to the beach, but I'll be back soon."

"Okay," she answered, settling back into the seat and taking a sip of water. She watched Jack leave, then closed her eyes and tried to relax. _I hope I'm not coming down with something,_ she thought. _Although, I could definitely get used to Jack's bedside manner. _


	3. Part 3

Author's Note: Thanks so much, everyone, for all the kind reviews! I was very nervous to post here, but I'm glad people are enjoying it so far. I'll try to update as often as possible :)

* * *

Jack returned from the beach forty minutes later, intent on making Kate eat something and rest awhile longer before she went back to the beach camp for the night. She would protest, of course, but he felt confident that, at the very least, he'd be able to talk her into hanging around the caves a little longer so that he could keep an eye on her. Of course, he knew better than to actually _tell_ her he wanted to keep an eye on her, but she would probably figure it out anyway. She always seemed to see through him.

But Jack was saved from the trouble of convincing her. He found Kate sleeping soundly in the infirmary, arms wrapped around herself. She looked cold.

* * *

Kate opened her eyes to near-darkness. As her vision adjusted, she detected the flicker of a fire out of the corner of her eye. Sitting up and turning toward it, she noticed that someone had covered her with one of the blue blankets from the plane. 

_Jack._

There he was, quietly placing more kindling on the fire just a few feet away.

"Hey… What time is it?", Kate asked softly.

Jack looked up and gave her a small smile, the firelight playing over his features. "Hey. It's after midnight."

Kate looked incredulous. "What? How long--"

"A good seven hours."

"You're kidding," Kate deadpanned, not believing that she could have slept for so long.

Jack grinned at her confusion. "You were exhausted, Kate. How do you feel?"

"Okay, I guess," Kate answered, shifting onto her side to face Jack and the fire. "My arm feels a little funny, but I probably just slept on it."

"Yeah?" Jack walked over and sat down beside her. "Can I take a look?"

Unlike what Kate was used to at the beach, the caves became chilly at night. But Jack was so close now that she could feel the warmth radiating from him, making her feel as though she were sitting directly _in_ the fire. All of a sudden, she was acutely aware that everyone else was asleep in their respective caves; she and Jack were alone.

Feeling a bit shy, Kate lifted her left arm out from under the blanket. Even in the dim glow of the fire she could see that it was swollen below the elbow.

Jack noticed, too. "I think you're having a reaction to that spider bite," he said softly. "The swelling has spread quite a bit."

Jack raised his palm to Kate's forehead, sliding it across her temple and lingering on her cheek. They locked eyes for a moment before Jack abruptly dropped his hand and looked away.

"Uh, I think you have a fever," he said, his voice sounding strange. _Snap out of it, Jack,_ he thought to himself. _She's sick. She's only here because she's sick._

He stood up and retrieved the leather backpack he kept some of the medical supplies in. He returned to Kate a few moments later with a bottle of pills.

"Here, take two of these," he said, squatting beside her.

"And call you in the morning?", she asked, hoping to break up the tension.

Jack laughed quietly, smiling at her. _He should laugh more often, _Kate thought to herself.

"What is it?", she asked.

"An antihistamine," Jack explained. "Like Benadryl, but stronger. If you're having an allergic reaction, this should take care of it. It'll help you get back to sleep, too."

"More sleep, just what I need," Kate laughed weakly. She washed the pills down with a drink of water and settled back against the cushioned airline seat, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

Jack resumed his work on the fire, adding a few more branches and poking at the embers glowing underneath. His face was partially hidden in shadows, but Kate could still see that he looked tired. Once again, she began to feel a little guilty about having spent so much time on the flowers earlier. She should have tried to help Jack with whatever he had been doing, given him a few minutes to take a break. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him look rested, seen the worry leave his face. _Maybe during the golf tournament…_

"What is it?", Jack questioned, interrupting Kate's thoughts. She hadn't realized she was staring. _Oops._

"Nothing, sorry. I just…" Kate trailed off, not sure what to say. "You look tired, that's all."

Jack shook his head. "I'm fine."

"You should get some sleep," Kate pressed.

Jack paused, a hint of a smile crossing his lips. "I will as soon as you do," he said pointedly.

"Deal," Kate smiled. Goodnight, Jack."

"Goodnight, Kate."

* * *

He sat at the fire until he was sure she was asleep. Eventually, he drifted off, listening to the rhythm of Kate's steady breathing a few feet away... 


	4. Part 4

**A/N:** Wow, everybody! Thanks so much for all the reviews :) And thanks to anyone out there who may be reading but not reviewing, too. I love writing Jack and Kate, and it's even more fun when I know people are enjoying it. :)

Here's a little more Sawyer for now, but more Jack-Kate will be coming very soon!!!

* * *

Sawyer took an impatient drag on his cigarette. _Where the hell is she?,_ he wondered for about the twentieth time. From his vantage point he could see the entire beach camp, which always came in handy when it got too dark to read and he had to resort to passing the time with his favorite spectator sport: people-watching. But tonight the most interesting player was missing. He hadn't seen Kate since he'd left her at the flower garden earlier that afternoon.

As much as Sawyer hated to admit it, he knew what had probably happened: _Dr. Feelgood finally made his move. They're probably sharin' a moonlit picnic by her damn flower garden at this very moment,_ he thought bitterly.

Well, all the better in the long run anyway. As soon as Freckles got this infatuation with the Doc out of her system, it would be smooth sailing. Jack wasn't really her type, Sawyer knew. Kate needed a bad-boy; he'd been sure of that since the day she pulled the gun on him in the jungle. And even more sure since she'd kissed him, the little minx. Jack was a little too wholesome, a little too boring for a woman like her. And Sawyer would be waiting there for her as soon as she figured that out.

Not that it would be easy to stomach the thought of her with the Hero, even for a little while. Sawyer certainly didn't want to know any of the details. But who was he trying to kid? When Freckles inevitably came back to the beach to pick up her bags he'd try to get as much information out of her as possible… while trying to appear utterly disinterested, of course.

_After all, a man's gotta know what he's up against,_ he reminded himself. Plus, it might be good for a laugh if he found out Jackass was writing her some damn poetry or something.

Chuckling to himself, Sawyer leaned back in the airline seat and closed his eyes. _Plenty of time to plan my next move in the morning,_ he assured himself, before drifting to sleep.

* * *

But Kate didn't return to the beach the next morning. And when Sawyer saw Sticks gathering up Kate's belongings, he knew something was wrong. Sticks never even carried her own bags, let alone someone else's. Resolving to get to the bottom of whatever it was, Sawyer sauntered over to Shannon. 

"When you're done here, Sticks, can I get a little maid service over in my tent?", he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Go to hell, Sawyer," Shannon said icily.

"My, looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the caves today," he responded, a lazy grin on his face.

"Look, I don't have time for your crap right now," Shannon said in exasperation. "Kate needs her stuff."

Sawyer paused. "And just why is it that she can't get it herself?"

Shannon looked up in surprise. "You didn't hear yet?"

Sawyer looked at her expectantly.

"She's pretty sick, I guess," Shannon finished.

"Well, what's wrong with her?", Sawyer questioned, trying to keep the concern out of his voice.

"Look, I don't know. Jack just asked me to get her stuff." Shannon lifted Kate's backpack to her shoulder and walked off in the direction of the caves.

_Hmm. Might be time for a trip to Cave Town,_ Sawyer thought, walking back to his tent. He chugged the last of the water in his bottle, threw it in his bag, and headed toward the caves...


	5. Part 5

**A/N:** Thanks again for all the comments and excellent suggestions! There are more plot developments coming into the picture soon, but here's a little Jack-Kate tidbit to get the weekend started off right!

* * *

Jack had awoken before dawn to the sound of Kate's labored breathing. He looked across the dark cave to see her sitting up, struggling to choke down a sip of water.

"Hey, what is it?", he asked, walking over and crouching down beside her.

"I don't know," Kate breathed, shaking her head. "I can't… catch my breath."

"It's okay. Just relax." Jack took her shoulders and guided her into a reclining position against the airline seatback. "Put your arms above your head; it'll help open up your lungs."

Kate did as she was told, willing her lungs to cooperate. "What's… happening?", she asked Jack.

"Can't be sure, but I think that spider that got you was poisonous," Jack answered. "The poison's spreading through your body. There's probably some internal swelling and inflammation around your lungs. Does your chest feel tight?

Kate nodded, one palm pressed against the bare skin above her tank top, as if she was in pain.

Jack turned away from her and scanned the supplies he stored in a niche in the cave wall, his eyes coming to rest on the eucalyptus poultice Sun had continued making for Shannon's asthma. Silently thanking Sun once again, he brought it to Kate and knelt down beside her.

"Jack, no," Kate protested weakly. "What if Shannon…"

"Sun can make more first thing in the morning," Jack assured her. "Besides, you need it more right now, anyway."

Not for the first time, Jack was touched by Kate's concern for someone else over herself. A large capacity for compassion and sacrifice was a common bond between them, and it was becoming more apparent to Jack all the time. For him, it was part of the job. A doctor had to learn to put others' needs before his own, and it was second nature to him now. But Kate didn't have any medical training; giving was just part of who she was. Every day he watched her work harder and ask for less than anyone else, and he admired and respected her for it. But right now, for once, she needed something from someone else, and he was glad to be the one who could give it to her.

Jack reached over and took the hand that Kate still had pressed tight against her chest, lifting it back over her head. "Keep them both up there. It'll help, I promise," he said softly.

Kate shivered when the first of the eucalyptus touched her feverish skin. "It's cold," she explained nervously.

"Sorry. Just try to relax. Concentrate on taking deep, controlled breaths," Jack said in a soothing tone.

Kate closed her eyes, concentrating on synchronizing her breathing with the gentle rhythm of Jack's fingers tracing circles on her chest. She thought of the times she had seen Jack angry or defiant, usually concerning Sawyer in some way. She liked that he could be strong and powerful, but it amazed her that he could be so gentle sometimes, too.

Jack lifted the eucalyptus to Kate's nose for a moment and she breathed in deeply. The sharp pains in her chest had begun to recede, but her breathing was still heavy and irregular. She felt a tug at the bottom of her tank top and Jack's fingers traveled slightly lower on her chest, continuing their circular pattern. With anyone else, Kate would have tensed up and immediately opened her eyes; she never liked to feel vulnerable in any way. But it was different with Jack. She trusted him.

"Better?", he asked softly, as her breathing slowly returned to normal."

"Yeah," Kate whispered, her eyes still closed. "Thank you, Jack."

Jack tucked the blanket more tightly around her, relieved that the eucalyptus had worked. "Do you need anything else?"

"Can you just… sit with me? For a little while?", Kate asked softly.

"For as long as you want," Jack answered, moving a little closer.

Eyes still closed and nearly asleep, Kate turned onto her side so that she was facing Jack. He reached toward her, tenderly brushing a curl from her face.

"For as long as you want," he whispered again.


	6. Part 6

**A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews and helpful hints, everyone :) I'm working on making the chapters longer and building the plot, but I'm new to this fanfic biz, so thanks in advance for being patient with me!**

* * *

Kate awoke with a start to a crashing noise a few feet away.

"Oh, dude, I… I'm really sorry," Hurley stammered, struggling to replace all the supplies he had accidentally knocked off of Jack's makeshift table. "I wasn't supposed to wake you up."

"It's okay," Kate replied, feeling a little groggy.

"Well, uh, Jack said I should bring you some fish… You know, in case you were hungry when you woke up."

"Oh. Thanks, Hurley." Kate smiled at him as he handed her the plate. "Where is Jack?"

"Um, I don't know." Hurley shifted around nervously, not meeting her eyes. "I should probably go find him, though." With that, he hurried off toward the mouth of the caves.

Kate watched him go, shaking her head at Hurley's strange behavior. _It's like he's afraid of me or something, _she mused. _Maybe he thinks I'm contagious…_

* * *

Kate was just finishing the last of the fish when Jack returned, carrying more wood for the fire. He set it down, brushed his hands off on his jeans, and walked toward Kate. 

"Your look a little bit better," he said, eying her closely.

"Does that mean I'm free to go?", Kate asked hopefully.

"Not a chance," Jack replied. "Do I need to remind you of what happened earlier this morning?"

"No… I remember." Kate blushed and looked away, remembering the feel of Jack's hands applying the eucalyptus to calm her breathing.

"Well, at least let me go to the beach and get my things then," she said, hoping to change the subject. "I promise I'll come right back."

"No need," Jack said, shaking his head. "I sent Shannon down to get them for you. She should be back any time."

"Oh," Kate replied shortly. Her prospects for leaving the caves at all today were dwindling and she wasn't exactly thrilled about it. She'd only been awake for half an hour and already she felt incredibly restless.

"Sorry to disappoint," Jack said, picking up on the change in her mood. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I know, Jack. I'm sorry. I'm just not used to sitting still for so long."

Jack nodded, understanding. "Well, I think Michael's planning to start constructing the showers today, so at least you'll get to watch the progress. That could be interesting, right?"

"I can hardly contain my excitement," Kate replied in a caustic tone.

Jack smiled. "That's the spirit."

Kate was happy that she'd gotten him to smile; she was getting pretty good at it lately. And whenever Jack smiled, Kate couldn't help but match it. He seemed to have one that was reserved specifically for her, and it always left her head feeling a little fuzzy, as if parts of her were melting away a little bit at a time.

She had hoped he would stay at the caves and keep her company for awhile, but she knew he had other people to check on and Sayid had wanted to talk to him about the French woman's maps, too. So, after warning her that Hurley would be watching to make sure she didn't try to sneak off, Jack left Kate to her own devices, promising that he would be back as soon as possible.

* * *

It wasn't long until Shannon came by to drop off Kate's bags from the beach, but she didn't stay to talk. Kate had noticed that she was spending a lot of time with Sayid lately, and she wasn't sure it was just about translating the maps either. _Who would have guessed those two…_Kate wondered, shaking her head. 

Standing up to stretch her stiff legs, Kate peered around the corner of the infirmary cave and saw that Hurley was busy helping Michael with the shower installation. _I'll just take a quick walk and see how my flower garden looks today, and Jack will never even know I was gone, _Kate thought, sneaking out through the mouth of the cave.

It was nice to feel the sun on her face again, and Kate took her time walking to the garden. It was another scorching day and she wished she could have brought more water for the flowers, but that would have meant catching Hurley's attention, and then she wouldn't have been able to leave the caves at all.

Although, she was starting to regret her covert trip into the jungle anyway. Her knees were feeling weak again and her eyes seemed to be a little out of focus. And every once in awhile, she felt a sharp pain travel up her left arm. Angry with her body for refusing to cooperate, Kate made the trip slowly back to the caves, pausing to lean against the entrance to catch her breath.

"Damn, Freckles. You look like somethin' the boar dragged in."

"Gee, thanks," she replied weakly, as Sawyer sauntered up behind her.

"What the hell's the matter?", he asked roughly, trying to disguise any concern in his voice. She really didn't look well.

"Jack thinks I was bitten by a poisonous spider," she explained, clearly annoyed at the whole situation. "It's been making me kind of… dizzy."

"And Doc prescribed a walk around the jungle in the heat of the day?", Sawyer asked, eyeing her skeptically.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Of course not. I just got tired of sitting around."

"Well, you look like you could do with a bit _more_ sittin' around at the moment," Sawyer advised, walking toward her.

Kate didn't answer. Her head was swimming, but she wasn't about to admit it. She hated the thought of appearing weak in front of Sawyer; he would never let her forget it. His arm was extended to her, but she swatted it away.

"I'm fine, Sawyer. I can get there myself," Kate said as shetook a few cautious steps into the cave entrance.

"Whatever you say, Fre-", Sawyer began.

But hestopped short as Kate collapsed to the cave floor in front of him.


	7. Part 7

**A/N: Many thanks once again for all the kind reviews and suggestions. And props to Foxygirl33 for helping me so much when I got stuck! All the best parts of this chapter came straight from her, believe me!**

* * *

"What the hell…" Sawyer lunged forward in an effort to catch Kate, but he wasn't fast enough and she landed hard on the cave floor.

Sawyer tossed his bag aside and quickly knelt down beside her. "Freckles?" His tone was frantic. "Come on now, Freckles, wake up," he urged, trying to coax Kate to open her eyes.

"Hey! I could use some help over here!", he yelled to Michael and Hurley, who were still working on the showers.

"Whoa, whoa- what happened?", Michael asked, sprinting over to where Kate lay.

"She just… dropped," Sawyer explained, completely at a loss.

"Hurley, go get Jack," Michael instructed. Then he turned to Sawyer, "Help me move her."

Together, they carefully lifted Kate's limp body and carried her back to the infirmary cave.

"What do we do now?", Sawyer asked as he gently arranged her head on an airline pillow.

Michael shook his head. "I don't know, man. I mean, she's breathing, right? Maybe we should just wait for Jack?"

As if on cue, Jack came bursting into the caves. "What happened?" he called out, running to Kate's side.

Michael and Sawyer moved back to give Jack room to examine her. He gently placed one hand on either side of her face, "Kate. Come on back now, Kate. You have to open your eyes now."

But Kate wasn't responding. Her skin was on fire and her face was strangely white. Jack couldn't believe it; she had looked fine less than an hour ago. What could have happened? Suddenly, he looked up at Sawyer.

"She's burning up. What the hell was she doing?" he asked in an accusatory tone.

"Easy, Doc!", Sawyer intoned, his hands raised defensively. "She was takin' a walk in the damn jungle and I'm the one that tried to convince her to come back here! Or maybe you haven't noticed how stubborn she is?"

Jack looked away from Sawyer, shaking his head and cursing under his breath. "I shouldn't have left her." He looked back at Kate and forced himself to brush away the feelings of guilt; there would be plenty of time for that later. Right now he needed to concentrate on Kate.

"Michael, can you get some water?", he asked quickly.

"Sure, of course." Michael hurried toward the waterfall and Jack turned his attention back to Kate.

"We have to cool her down. Her body temperature is dangerously high," Jack said, putting his hand to Kate's face once more.

Sawyer stood above him, feeling frustrated that he couldn't do anything to help. He watched as Jack continued his attempts to rouse Kate. _Hero looks even more serious than usual,_ he thought to himself. _If that's possible…_

"Look, Doc, can't you just give her some of those antibiotics you gave me? Ceph-a… whatever the hell it is?" Sawyer tried to control the desperation in his voice. "Hell, she can have mine…"

Jack glanced up in surprise, meeting Sawyer's eyes and realizingimmediately that he was serious. He had never seen anything to suggest selflessness in Sawyer before now, and he marveled at it for a moment, taking in the full meaning of Sawyer's offer.

Sawyer realized at once that he'd given too much away, exposed too much of how he felt about Kate. And to Jack, no less. But right then, with Kate lying unconscious in front of him, he didn't really care.

Jack looked at Sawyer for several seconds before answering. "It's not an infection," he explained quietly. "It's a poison."

Sawyer nodded and looked up as Michael returned with the water. Jack took it from him, dipped a cloth into it, and began running it over Kate's face and neck. He gently lifted her head and pulled her long hair away from the back of her neck, leaving the cool cloth in its place. He quickly took another and soaked it, once again running it over her face. "Come on, Kate," he whispered, willing her to open her eyes.

Kate's eyelids fluttered as she struggled back to consciousness. "Kate, can you hear me?", Jack asked, leaning over her. "Look at me, Kate. Open your eyes," he commanded. She blinked a few times, trying to focus her vision.

"Jack?", she asked weakly.

"Yeah, it's me." His face broke into a relieved smile. "You're okay. Try not to move." Jack rinsed the cloth and brought it back to her face.

"Come on, let's give her some space," Michael said to Sawyer. "Unless you need us to do anything, Jack?"

"Uh, no," Jack said, his eyes still on Kate's face. "I got it covered. Thanks."

Michael nodded and turned to go, but Sawyer lingered, a question in his eyes.

"She'll be okay," Jack assured him quietly. His voice sounded a lot more confident than he felt, but Sawyer nodded and left.

Jack looked back at Kate. Her eyelids were drifting downward again, but he could tell she was trying to fight it. "Stay with me, Kate," he urged, leaning over her. "Focus on my eyes."

"Jack?", she whispered.

"I'm right here," he said gently. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry, Jack," she managed weakly. "I didn't listen and…"

"Kate, you don't have anything to be sorry about. This isn't your fault," he assured her.

She nodded slightly, eyelids bobbing downward again. "I'm so hot…"

"I know," Jack replied, rinsing the cloth once again. "I'm working on that. You just relax."

"Thanks," she said, barely audibly, before falling into unconsciousness once more.


	8. Part 8

**A/N: Whew! Sorry it took me so long to update! This law school schedule isn't leaving as much time for fanfic as I would like... And I so wish I had time to answer each review specifically, but rest assured that I read and appreciate every single one of them, and I really take the suggestions to heart, too. So, keep 'em comin' please! You guys are great :)**

* * *

The next twelve hours were some of the longest of Jack's life. Kate drifted in and out of consciousness, the poison continuing to wreak havoc on her system. Her fever raged and, try as he might, there wasn't much Jack could do. He hated that feeling, helplessness. He hated sitting there, watching her face contort in a pain that he couldn't identify. But he couldn't leave.

This was the part they didn't prepare you for in medical school, and Jack had never gotten used to it. Every time he had lost a patient, it was like he'd lost a small part of himself, too. At least back in the real world he always had the luxury of knowing that he'd done everything possible. But this was different; sitting in a dark cave on some godforsaken island, thinking of twenty different things he could do for Kate if only they were back in the real world, in a real hospital. And if he lost Kate… Well, he'd be losing a much bigger piece of himself than usual.

She had gotten to him, simple as that. And no amount of warnings from the Marshal could have prevented it. He had seen who she really _was_ before he had learned about the things she _did_; she was brave and compassionate and independent and just so… _Kate_. No use trying to describe her with conventional words. Kate defied convention in every way.

Jack smiled to himself as he watched her, remembering how they had met. She had been scared, he knew, but there had also been a quiet strength about her as she'd sewn him up. He inadvertently reached up to touch the scar on his back, lost in thought.

_"If that had been me, I think I would've run for the door."_

_"I don't think that's true; you're not running now."_

The rain came suddenly, snapping Jack out of his reverie. It always seemed louder at night, pounding on all sides of the caves and echoing through the silence of collective sleep. It wasn't unusual for Jack to find himself awake while everyone else slept. In a way it was nice, actually. He rarely had a moment to himself during the day, and the insomnia at least gave him a chance to think. But tonight his head was spinning, and he couldn't sit still anymore.

Jumping up, Jack grabbed a water bottle and walked to the cave entrance. Reaching one hand out into the downpour, he filled the bottle. The rain was colder than the waterfall, and he hoped it would do more for Kate's fever than what he'd been able to accomplish so far.

Replacing the cold compresses on her forehead and neck, Jack noticed that a strange rash had risen on Kate's chest and shoulders. _A new symptom_. _Definitely not a good sign,_ Jack thought grimly. The dim glow of the fire wasn't exactly conducive to a good examination, but Jack leaned in closer, attempting to gauge the severity of the rash.

Suddenly, Kate jolted awake with a start. Seeing the dark form bent over her, she gasped and instinctually flailed her arms, struggling to push Jack away.

"Hey, it's ok," Jack soothed. "Kate, you're ok. You're safe."

Her eyes met his and she relaxed back against the pillow, breathing hard.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," Jack said quietly. "Here, you need to drink some water."

He lifted the bottle to her lips, supporting her head from behind with the other hand. Kate took a few careful sips and shook her head to signal that she was finished.

"What were you doing?", Kate asked, still a little confused.

"You've developed a nasty rash in the last few hours and I was trying to get a better look," Jack replied.

"A rash?", Kate asked, bringing one hand up to her chest.

"Yeah. Looks like it started on your chest and spread across your shoulders. Does it hurt?", Jack asked with concern in his voice.

Kate hesitated for a moment, thinking. "It feels a little numb, actually."

"Numb?"

"Yeah," Kate answered. "Like tingly or something. But it doesn't hurt."

Jack didn't answer and Kate became worried.

"Jack, what does that mean?", she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

He looked away for a moment, shaking his head, before returning his eyes to hers. "I don't know. But we'll figure it out," he said evenly, trying to sound confident, but Kate didn't look convinced.

"We'll figure it out, Kate," he assured her. "I promise."


	9. Part 9

**A/N: Thanks for the great reviews, everyone! It's nice to know that people are enjoying the story, and itmakes it much more fun to write it! Once again, sorry for the time delay in updating. One of these days I'll get my act together! This chapter is pretty short, but hopefully pretty sweet, too :) Enjoy!**

* * *

But Jack couldn't figure it out. Just when he thought he had isolated the M.O. of this particular poison, Kate's symptoms would change suddenly and he'd be back at square one.

The mysterious rash had disappeared as quickly as it had developed, but Kate said she still had a slight numbness in her chest. All of the swelling in her arms had dissipated, too, but she was experiencing sharp spasms of pain from time to time, causing her to cry out in her sleep, and only adding to Jack's increasing anguish that he couldn't cure her.

He had felt a wash of relief when Kate's fever had broken in the middle of the night, but now she was shaking uncontrollably, unable to get warm in the damp cave. Jack had moved her as close to the fire as was safe and he had exhausted his stock of extra blankets. It was almost as though Kate's system had spent so long trying to bring her down from the fever that it was stuck in cooling mode and had forgotten how to warm her up.

Jack had suggested that Kate try to get up and walk around to get her blood pumping, but she was both too weak and too dizzy to manage it, even with his help.

"Any better yet?", he asked hopefully, throwing more kindling onto the fire.

"A little," Kate managed, her voice shaking.

"Well, the sun will be up in a few hours, and then I'll be able to get you outside and warm you up, ok?" Jack was trying his best to sound positive, but the expression on Kate's face told him it wasn't working.

She nodded her head and tried to smile, wanting to ease Jack's worry. She knew he hadn't really been sleeping much over the past few nights, and she hated that it was because of her.

"I'll be fine," she said aloud, wanting to reassure Jack. But it came out more as if she was trying to convince herself, and Jack gave her a small smile.

"Of course you will. We just have to get you warm."

Jack got up from his seat by the fire and Kate heard him rummaging through a suitcase behind her.

"I knew I saved this for a reason," he said as he returned to Kate's side.

She looked up to see him holding a suit jacket; the same one she had seen hanging from a tree the day she had sewn him up on the beach. Kate remembered how scared she had been when she'd seen the blood and realized what Jack was asking her to do, but he had helped her though it, just like he was doing now. Just like always…

Jack seemed to be remembering that day, too, because he smiled and said, "Don't worry. I washed it."

Kate smiled back as another shiver coursed through her body. She shifted onto her side so that she was facing the fire, and Jack bent down and laid the jacket over her, tucking it in close to her body. The jacket smelled like him, and Kate involuntarily took a deep breath, letting the familiar scent fill her lungs. Jack reached out to sweep a stray curl from her face, and she closed her eyes and leaned into his hand when it lingered on her cheek.

"You're warm," she said quietly.

Jack didn't answer, but instead lowered himself down behind her, putting one arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. Kate felt his warmth enveloping her, seeping into her body through the layers between them. She wiggled one arm free from the blankets and laced her fingers over top of his, pulling his arm tighter around her stomach.

"Jack," Kate whispered, her voice wavering as another tremor shook her body. "I'm scared."

He squeezed her hand and remained silent for a moment. Then he bent his head in closer to hers, and Kate could feel his breath in her hair as he slowly began to count.

"One… Two… Three… Four… Five."


	10. Part 10

**A/N: First, since I forgot to say it last time, THANKS to Foxygirl33 for the suit jacket idea! You always think of the nicest little touches, and I can't wait for your next Jack/Kate story!**

**And thanks again for all the reviews! Feel free to flame me this time... I think I need a little tough love to get me updating faster, lol.**

**And since I took so long updating this time, I tried to give you a longer chapter; some Sawyer to start off with, and of course, some Jack/Kate, too!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Sawyer lay awake, staring up at the blue tarp that formed the ceiling of his make-shift tent. At first he had thought it was the rain keeping him awake, but it had stopped hours ago and sleep still eluded him. There was no use even trying, really. Every time he closed his eyes he saw nothing but Kate. This wasn't strange in and of itself; he'd had more than a few dreams about her since they'd landed on this rock, usually the kind that left a nice smile on his face in the morning. But this was different. He couldn't seem to shake the vision of her lying on the cave floor, pale and lifeless. It had rattled him, and he wasn't used to that.

And all night, he had been consciously avoiding asking himself why.

Sawyer liked to deal in facts. He was stuck on this damn island with a limited amount of cigarettes. Fact. He wasn't the most popular guy on the island. Fact. Freckles had the hots for the Doc. Fact. Eventually she'd wise up and come knocking on Sawyer's tent. He accepted that as fact. And now Freckles was sick. That was a fact, too. And when you just took facts for what they were, plain and simple, it was easy to sleep at night. But when you started thinking about how you _feel_ about those facts? Well, that was just dangerous. The less self-analysis the better, that was Sawyer's motto.

But hell if he could stop himself where Freckles was concerned. It was starting to be a big problem, really. Sawyer couldn't remember exactly what he'd said in the cave earlier; everything was kind of a blur. But the look of realization on Jack's face was burned into his memory, haunting him. And every time he saw it he felt the same horrible sense of vulnerability, of weakness, and he detested it. Most of all, he detested Jack for recognizing it.

Sawyer reached into his bag and pulled out a fresh pack of cigarettes. For now, he was attributing all this damn emotion to a lack of nicotine in his system, and that was easily remedied. He pulled back the flaps of his tent and stepped out into the cool night air, the flicker of his lighter doing little to illuminate the darkness that surrounded him.

He turned in the direction of the water and slowly made his way toward the waves. Picking a level spot in the sand, he sat down, elbows propped up on his raised knees. He inhaled long and slow, and waited for the sun to rise.

* * *

Jack felt Kate stir as the first rays of sunlight began to filter through the cave entrance. In her sleep she had turned to face him, and she was nestled against his chest, one hand resting lightly on his shoulder. He had been awake for some time, but didn't want to risk waking her, so he had remained there next to her, one arm draped comfortably around her waist.

Kate opened her eyes and raised her head slightly to look up at Jack. He was watching her, and she gave him a shy smile. "You stayed with me all night?", she asked quietly.

"Of course," Jack answered, smiling back. "What kind of doctor would I be if I let my patients freeze?"

Kate smiled again and gave his shoulder an unconscious squeeze. But neither one of them made a move to get up.

"How do you feel?", Jack asked after a moment.

"Well, right now I feel… warm." Their eyes met, and Kate felt her heart begin to beat faster. The electricity between them was palpable and neither one spoke for several moments. Finally, with great effort, Jack looked away and sighed.

"I, uh… I better get some more wood for the fire."

Kate nodded, feeling a little dazed. She was conscious of Jack's arm sliding slowly from her waist, and of emptiness in front of her where his broad shoulders had been. And although she was still tucked under several blankets and one suit jacket, she felt a distinct chill the moment Jack left her side.

She listened to the echo of his footsteps as he left the cave.

* * *

Jack stepped out into the crisp morning air and inhaled deeply, hoping to clear his head. He ran a hand wearily over his face as he walked into the jungle. _Keep your eye on the ball, Jack,_ he reminded himself. That was getting harder and harder to do with Kate as his patient. She was sick and scared and vulnerable, but all he'd been able to think about a moment ago was what it would be like to kiss her. But that would have been a selfish thing to do, Jack knew, not to mention a violation of the Hippocratic Oath. He would never take advantage of Kate's weakened state like that; he couldn't.

* * *

When Jack returned several minutes later with an armful of wood, Kate was sitting up. In his absence, she had splashed some water on her face and was now attempting to make her hair somewhat presentable.

Jack was just adding more wood to the fire when Charlie peered cautiously into the infirmary cave.

"Great, you're awake," he directed at Jack. "How are you feeling, Kate?"

"I'm doing okay, Charlie," Kate answered with a smile. "Thanks."

"What can I do for you, Charlie?", Jack asked.

"Well, Claire's kind of panicking right now… about the baby being late and all," Charlie began. "I guess she had a dream about it or something. And bloody hell, I can't seem to say the right thing. I was wondering if you could maybe talk to her? Just to calm her down a little?"

"Uh," Jack looked over at Kate, but she cut him off.

"Go, Jack. I'll be fine. Claire needs you right now."

Jack nodded in agreement. "I won't be gone long, though."

"Take your time, really," Kate encouraged. "I feel fine right now."

Jack began following Charlie out of the cave, but stopped and turned to Kate. "Don't go anywhere," he warned.

"I won't. I learned my lesson yesterday," Kate acknowledged, with a wry smile.

Jack smiled back, then followed Charlie out of the cave.


	11. Part 11

**A/N: Thanks for the tough love in the reviews, lol. As you can see, it's working because I'm updating sooner than usual! Enjoy!**

* * *

Kate sat peeling a banana when Walt and Vincent bounded into the infirmary cave.

"Jack said Vincent and I should keep you company," Walt said with a smile. He was glad to be helping out for once.

Kate laughed, knowing Jack really just wanted to make sure she didn't wander off, but she was glad for the company anyway.

"Do you want to play backgammon?", Walt asked eagerly.

"Sure," Kate replied.

"I'm warning you, I'm really good," Walt remarked. "But I'll take it easy on you since you're sick and all."

"Gee, thanks," Kate replied sarcastically, clearing space next to her so that Walt could sit down.

"Does Vincent play, too?", Kate joked, smiling as the dog settled down at her feet.

* * *

Sawyer made his way slowly along the path to the caves, wondering what in the hell he was doing. He really didn't want to come face to face with Jack, even more so than usual, but there hadn't been any word on the beach about Kate's condition yet, and he wasn't waiting around any longer.

He figured he would just fill up his water bottles and casually ask the pregnant chick, or someone else who might give him the time of day, if they'd heard anything. No sense bothering Hero if he didn't have to.

Feeling good about his plan, Sawyer adjusted the straps of his backpack and walked on more confidently, occasional yawns reminding him of his sleeplessness the night before. _That's what this little trip to Cave Town is all about anyway, _he reminded himself. _I just gotta get some damn sleep tonight, nothin' more to it. _

He quickened his pace, eager to get out of the sun and into the cooler air of the caves. Suddenly, though, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye and veered off the path towards it.

* * *

Walt had just won his fourth game in a row when Vincent ran excitedly toward the cave entrance, bursting with pent up energy. Walt and Kate looked up in time to see Sawyer kneeling to scratch the dog's ears.

"Looks like your pup needs some attention, Short Stuff," Sawyer directed at Walt.

"We were keeping Kate company," Walt explained without hesitation. A lot of people hated Sawyer, but since Vincent liked him, Walt figured he must not be that bad.

"Well, how 'bout I take your place and you and Lassie go for a walk?", Sawyer said, raising his eyebrows to let Walt know that he wasn't just asking.

Walt took the hint and gathered up the game. "Let me know if you want a re-match," he said to Kate, who was less-than-thrilled with the prospect of losing again, but tried to feign a little excitement. "Come on, Vincent!", Walt called over his shoulder as he skipped out of the cave.

Sawyer watched him leave, then walked slowly towards Kate, eying her curiously.

"You look a sight better than yesterday, that's for damn sure."

Kate grimaced and looked away, remembering her condition the last time Sawyer had seen her. "Let's not talk about that," she warned, praying he wasn't about to throw her weakness in her face.

"Whatever you say, Freckles," he said easily, slipping his bag off his shoulders and sitting down across from her.

Kate watched him. "Did you really come to keep me company?", she asked skeptically, never one to mince words.

Sawyer hesitated for a split second, just long enough for Kate to catch it. "Nah. Came for the water and the shade. Too damn hot on the beach. But seein' as how everybody else is out there worryin' over the pregnant girl, I figured you might need some company."

"Is Claire okay?", Kate asked, worry crossing her face. Jack _had_ been gone longer than she'd expected.

"Seems like it. She just looked kinda shook up," Sawyer said with a shrug.

"Hmm…," Kate looked pensive. "Well, I'm sure Jack will know what to do."

"Course he will," Sawyer replied, a hint of sarcasm meeting Kate's ear.

Thinking it was best to change the subject, Kate cleared her throat and said, "How are things at the beach, apart from hot?"

"Same old, Freckles," he said, taking another swig from his bottle. "Not as much fruit down there lately, though," he added with a wink.

"Well, sorry, but I'm pretty sure Jack won't let me climb any trees for awhile," Kate said, smiling. "Guess you'll have to fend for yourself."

"Guess so," Sawyer nodded. "How much longer you gotta stay here at Hotel Jack anyway?"

"I don't know," Kate said, the smile leaving her face.

"Well… you're gettin' better right?"

Kate shrugged, looking down.

"Well, what's the Doc say?", Sawyer asked, narrowing his eyes to watch her reaction.

"He doesn't know either," Kate replied, picking at a loose string on the blanket covering her and refusing to meet his eyes.

An uncomfortable silence followed. Sawyer ran a hand through his hair, not sure what to say. Comforting people wasn't his strong point, and he knew it. His eyes traveled to his bag, and he pulled it towards him.

"Oh yeah, almost forgot," he said, unzipping one of the larger pockets and reaching carefully inside.

Kate looked up in time to see him pull a single flower from the bag. It was a lush, deep purple, and Kate's face lit up as he handed it to her.

"I don't have any purple in my garden," she said, shaking her head. "Where did you find it?"

"Tell you what, once you get outta here, I'll take you there myself."

Sawyer stood as if to leave, and Kate looked up at him, pleasantly surprised by his gesture. He was looking a little bit like he regretted it, so she waited to catch his eye before she smiled and said, "Thanks. Really."

Sawyer nodded and turned to go, hoisting his bag over his left shoulder. He had only taken a few steps when Kate called out to him, remembering their conversation in the jungle the day she was bitten.

"Hey, Sawyer…"

He turned to look at her.

"I thought you weren't the flowers type?"

"Yeah, well… don't get used to it." He gave her a fleeting smile, then turned and was gone.

Kate stared after him, twirling the flower gently between her thumb and finger, not quite sure she understood what had just happened. When Jack returned to the cave a moment later, he found her staring straight ahead, eyebrows knitted in thought. It took her a moment to realize he was speaking to her.

Kate felt him watching her, and she focused her eyes and turned to look at him. "Sorry, what?", she asked.

"I said, was that Sawyer I just saw leaving?"

* * *

**A/N: I know, I know... this chapter was very short on J/K. But I promise I'll make up for it next time!**


	12. Part 12

**Thanks again for all the reviews, and for putting up with all the Sawyer in the last chapter! I'm glad some of you enjoyed it :) And for those who didn't... here's some more Jack/Kate!**

* * *

"Oh, yeah he just… needed some water," Kate said quickly. 

Jack eyed the flower in her hand, but didn't say anything. Kate reddened and placed it down on the far side of her bag, out of sight.

"Anyway, is Claire okay?", Kate asked, thinking it best to change the subject.

Jack's brow furrowed and he nodded. "As okay as can be expected, I guess. This kind of anxiety is normal for any pregnancy, but I'd say she's doing fairly well considering the circumstances."

"It must be scary," Kate replied.

"Yeah, I can't even begin to imagine," Jack agreed. "But she's hanging in there."

"I meant for you."

Jack looked at her in surprise. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but thought better of it and averted his eyes, focusing on the ground in front of him.

"It'll be okay, Jack," Kate reassured.

He was silent for a moment, focused intently on the ground. "I've never delivered a baby."

Kate looked at him sadly, wondering why he doubted himself so much when the people around him trusted him implicitly, herself included. "I know. But I've seen you do some pretty amazing things here. Sawyer's arm in the jungle, Charlie... when we found him and he was…" Kate trailed off, unable to finish the thought. "You're a good doctor, Jack," she said, nodding.

He looked up at her, finally, a wry smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Apparently not that good. I can't even figure out how to treat your condition."

He looked at her with a strange sadness in his eyes, and maybe… guilt? Kate sighed, unsure what to say. Jack obviously didn't take well to flattery, but she had meant what she said.

"How are you feeling right now, anyway?", he asked,steering the conversation away from himself.

"Better, I think. Just tired."

"Any pain? Dizziness?", he probed.

"No pain, just a little dizzy when I try to move around too much," Kate answered.

"And how about your chest?", Jack persisted. "Any numbness?"

"A little."

Jack moved towards her, squatting down at her side. He bent his head in close, inspecting the bare skin above her tank top. "Well, the rash isn't back. That's a good sign."

His hands slid up her neck and he gingerly examined the sensitive glands below her jaw, before lifting a palm to her forehead.

"You have a slight fever," he reported with a frown. "I know you feel pretty good right now, but I'm not sure you're out of the woods yet. I'd feel a whole lot better if you could sleep through the night tonight without any complications."

"And I'd feel better if I wasn't keeping you up every night with my complications," Kate replied, an apologetic smile on her face. "You need some sleep, too."

"Well, you know, I _did_ manage to get a couple solid hours last night…" Jack replied, looking down at her and smiling, a flicker of something in his eyes that Kate couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Me, too," she said quietly, smiling as she remembered the feel of Jack's arm around her, his warm breath in her hair. She felt herself blush and quickly looked away from Jack's gaze.

He stood and retrieved a fresh bottle of water from the niche in the wall behind him.

"I want you to try to get some more rest, but drink some of this first. I'm going to see if I can find you some fish, too. You need protein to build your strength back up."

Kate nodded and willingly accepted the bottle from him.

"And if you're feeling up to it later," Jack continued, "Michael's got the showers working now. Sun and Shannon said they'd help you if you wanted to give it a try."

"That sounds like a good idea," Kate replied with a chuckle. "I feel like such a mess, and I probably look terrible," she finished, nervously fingering her hair.

Jack narrowed his eyes, studying her. "Hmm… I don't think that's possible."

Kate rolled her eyes at him, but smiled in spite of herself. Jack smiled back, then turned and grabbed his backpack.

"I'll be back soon with the fish," he called as he walked out of the cave.

Kate continued smiling long after he had gone…


	13. Part 13

**A/N: Many apologies for the long delay. I really need to stop letting real life get in the way of my fanfic! Take this nice, long chapter as a peace offering for my protracted abscence ;)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

True to his word, Jack returned soon with the fish, as well as some fresh fruit, already sliced. "Wow," Kate remarked as he set the plate in front of her. "The service here is excellent."

Jack smiled. "You know, I _did_ wait tables in college for awhile."

Kate giggled. "Well, just don't be expecting any tips today."

"Tell you what, you finish all that fish and we'll call it even."

Kate rolled her eyes in mock irritation. "Whatever you say, Doctor Shephard."

Jack stayed to talk with her while she ate, and Kate had finished both the fish and the fruit before she'd even realized it. It was nice talking with Jack; not discussing the crash or her illness or her past, just a friendly conversation. That was something Kate had missed in the months before the crash, when she was on the run. And sitting with Jack now, listening to the cadence of his voice and smiling at the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed, Kate couldn't help but feel almost normal again.

It was over too quickly, but Jack had noticed Kate's stifled yawn and insisted that she try to rest.

"I have to check on a few people at the beach, but I'll be back in a couple of hours. Yell for Sun if you need anything, ok?"

Kate nodded. "Wake me up when you get back, though. I don't want to sleep through my turn in the new shower."

Jack smiled. "Will do."

* * *

Kate awoke several hours later to the sound of Jack and Sun's muffled voices on the other side of the cave. She assumed Sun was showing Jack another homeopathic remedy of some kind, and she smiled to herself, relieved that Sun could help Jack shoulder some of the burden of providing medical care for the survivors. He could definitely use the break.

Kate cleared her throat. "So, are you two working on my cure over there?"

Jack grinned. "You look rested."

"I feel rested, too," Kate replied, smiling.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Sun said kindly. "Jack said you would like to try the new shower?"

"If it's not too much trouble," Kate replied. She hated feeling so helpless. "I don't have a lot of energy these days."

She reached for her bag and struggled slowly to her feet.

Sun came forward and took the bag from her, offering Kate an arm to lean on. It took Kate a few moments to steady herself, and Jack placed a strong hand on her other elbow.

"Maybe I'd better make sure you get there," he said warily.

Kate nodded and the three of them walked slowly out of the cave, Kate testing her weary muscles and leaning on Jack and Sun for support. Shannon saw them emerge and abandoned the magazine she had been perusing.

Taking Jack's place at Kate's side, she grinned and teased, "No boys allowed. We'll take it from here."

Jack turned a little red and relinquished his hold on Kate. "Just call me if you need anything."

He watched until Shannon and Sun had succeeded in getting Kate to the shower area, then he turned and walked back to the infirmary cave. Sitting down beside the fire, Jack looked over to Kate's discarded blanket. There, just behind the place where her bag had been, was the purple flower he had seen her with earlier. He knew instinctively where it had come from, and the thought made his breath hitch. He was glad that Kate's condition was improving, but he dreaded the day she would return to the beach, and to Sawyer.

Jack didn't understand their connection. Maybe he didn't even want to. Maybe Kate took solace in their dark similarities; he wasn't sure. In Jack's opinion, they weren't really similar at all. When he looked at Sawyer, he didn't see any of the things he saw when he looked into Kate's eyes; compassion, hope, beauty. The problem was, Kate seemed to see things in Sawyer that Jack could not. He could tell by the way she sometimes looked at him. Did Sawyer see more in Kate, too? More than Jack himself could see? _More than she's letting me see_, he wondered.

Jack sighed and turned his gaze back to the fire. He stood and threw a few more logs into the blaze, thinking Kate might be cold when she returned. The cave felt empty and artificial without her, and Jack hoped she wouldn't be gone much longer.

Feeling anxious, he stepped out of the infirmary cave and looked in the direction of the showers. There was Kate, sitting on a rock with a Lakers beach towel clutched tightly around her, while Sun and Shannon hovered close by.

Sun looked up and beckoned Jack over. He quickly closed the space between them and knelt down in front of Kate.

"You okay?"

Kate didn't answer and Jack looked questioningly at Sun.

"She was feeling dizzy again and needed to sit down," Sun explained quietly.

Jack looked back to Kate, who appeared thoroughly annoyed at herself. "Hey, don't worry about it. It's gonna take a few days before you feel 100."

"I can't even stand by myself for ten minutes, Jack," Kate said wryly.

"I know," he replied, with a sad smile. "You just need some time."

Kate nodded slightly and pulled the towel more tightly around herself. Beads of water dripped from her hair onto her bare shoulders, and Jack fought the urge to reach out and brush them away.

"Can you make it back to the cave?", he asked.

"Can't I just sit here forever?", Kate questioned, a small smile pulling at the corners of her pale lips.

Jack smiled back, glad to see that her spirits were lifting slightly. "I wouldn't advise it."

"You know, it's going to take me half an hour to get back there, so I hope you don't have any dinner plans," Kate joked.

"I have a better idea," Jack replied. He stood and leaned in towards Kate, placing one arm around her back and the other under her knees. He lifted her easily off the rock, and Kate was back in the infirmary cave a minute later.

Jack placed her gently onto the reclined airline seat she had been sleeping on, and Kate reluctantly released her hold on his neck. Shannon followed closely behind them and set Kate's bag down next to her.

"Should I stay and help you get dressed," she asked Kate.

Kate sighed and shook her head. "I just want to go to sleep," she said weakly.

Shannon nodded. "I hope you feel better," she said, before turning to leave.

Jack grasped Kate's elbow, sliding his hand down to her petite wrist. It sent shivers down Kate's spine, and she wondered if Jack could feel the change in her pulse. He was silent as he counted the beats and Kate watched as he frowned in concentration.

"Thanks , Jack… for taking care of me. Again." Kate said. "I'm sorry to be such a burden."

"Kate, you're not a burden," Jack said evenly, moving his right hand to her forehead. "And I'm the one who's sorry. I shouldn't have let you overexert yourself like that." He looked into her eyes apologetically.

"Are you kidding? Who knew a shower would do me in?", Kate laughed nervously under Jack's intense gaze.

He smiled back and lowered his hand. "Well, we'll just take it slow these next few days. Plenty of rest, plenty of protein; you'll be as good as new in no time."

Jack reached across Kate to retrieve the airline blanket and tucked it in closely around her, as he had grown accustomed to doing over the last several days. The nearness of him reminded Kate of the night she had fallen asleep with his arm securely around her, feeling his breath in her hair and the heat of his body. She found herself wishing for that again. It had been a long time since Kate had wanted that kind of closeness with someone, wanted someone to share herself with. But she needed it…

She needed Jack.


	14. Part 14

**A/N: Many apologies for my recent lack of updates. I made this chapter longer than usual in an effort to make up for it! Thanks to Foxygirl for proofing, and everyone on the ABC J/K Ship for always encouraging me to write more. You girls are the best!**

* * *

Though it was only early evening, Kate felt completely drained. As much as she hated to admit it, if Jack hadn't carried her back from the shower, she'd probably still be there. The short walk from the infirmary cave hadn't been bad, but as soon as the supportive arms on either side of her were gone, she had begun to feel shaky. _Mind over matter_, she had reminded herself, but that was easier said than done. Despite her best efforts, her legs had begun to feel like Jell-o, and as hard as it was to ask for help, Kate had decided that the slight blow to her ego was better than passing out again, this time in an embarrassing state of complete undress.

But after feeling so much better earlier in the afternoon, Kate was frustrated to find herself so weak once again. Jack assured her that her condition really was improving, but Kate wasn't so sure. Still, Jack had never lied to her, and it was hard to argue with his kind eyes and gentle tones when he tucked her in and told her she'd feel better once she got some rest. "Doctor's orders," he had reminded, with that half smile he wore when he was trying to cheer her up.

So Kate had smiled back and snuggled deeper into the blankets, trying to ignore the wet hair clinging to her face and neck, and falling asleep to the quiet, comfortable sounds of Jack moving around the cave and tending the fire.

* * *

When she awoke several hours later, the remaining daylight was slowly creeping out of the caves, to be replaced by the looming shadows of the trees just outside. Kate blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, finally coming to rest on… Jack's bare back?

Kate blinked again. _Great, now I'm hallucinating,_ she thought to herself. _It could certainly be worse, though…_

Curious, Kate squinted through the low light. Sure enough, there was Jack, apparently just back from his turn in the newly-constructed shower. He was standing in front of his suitcases, his back to her, and Kate could see tiny droplets of water glistening on his broad shoulders. He finished buckling his belt and reached for a shirt. Kate's eyes travelled from his trim waistline to his muscular shoulders, and she watched his back flex as he pulled the t-shirt over his head. She was glad he had picked one of the sleeveless ones because she always liked to study his tattoos when he wasn't looking, trying to figure out what they meant to him. _Maybe someday he'll tell me…_

Jack's voice startled Kate out of her reverie and she realized she was still staring at him.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked, surprise in his voice.

"Oh, just a few seconds," Kate explained quickly.

Jack eyed her suspiciously.

"I swear, Jack, I didn't see anything" she said playfully.

"Yeah? Then why are you grinning like that?"

Kate reddened a little and giggled. "Okay, I saw _almost_ nothing."

Jack laughed and shook his head. "Well, lucky for you, I don't embarrass that easily."

Kate smiled. "Good. Besides, I'm the one over here wearing nothing but a towel, so you have no room to complain."

Jack nodded and gave her a conciliatory smile. "Do you want me to get Shannon to help you get dressed now?" he asked.

"No, I think I can do it myself," Kate replied. "Can you, uh…" Kate motioned with her hand for Jack to turn around.

"Of course," Jack replied, turning his back to her. "So I take it you're feeling a little better?" he called over his shoulder.

"I guess so," Kate replied half-heartedly. "But who knows how long that'll last."

"Well, as long as you don't over-do it, you should start feeling stronger every day. I think the poison has run its course, and your system just needs time to recover now."

"How much time?" Kate asked, her voice muffled through the shirt she was pulling over her head.

"Can't say for sure," Jack replied, knowing that wasn't the answer Kate wanted to hear. "At least a few more days."

Kate let out an audible sigh, but said nothing.

Jack frowned, shifting his weight uncomfortably. He sensed her frustration, but wasn't sure if it was directed towards him or simply the situation. It was against Kate's nature to be confined like this, Jack knew. He assumed that was why she never moved to the caves. And she obviously wasn't used to letting people help her so much. _Don't take it personally, Jack,_ he reminded himself. _This is just really hard for her._

"You can turn around," Kate said, her voice neutral.

Jack turned, eyeing her thoughtfully.

"What?" Kate asked, a little self-consciously.

"Nothing," Jack replied. "I'm just… sorry you've had to go through this."

Kate gave him a sad smile and looked down at her hands folded in her lap. "Don't feel sorry for me, Jack. It's my own fault anyway."

"It's your fault that a poisonous tropical spider bit you and I didn't know how to treat it?" Jack asked, confused.

"Well… I think so, yeah."

Jack crossed his arms and watched her, waiting patiently for a further explanation. Kate was silent for a few seconds, seemingly absorbed in pulling at a loose string on the blanket.

Without looking up, she asked quietly, "Do you believe in karma?"

"Karma?" Jack repeated, trying to understand where she was going with this.

"Yeah, you know. Like, what goes around comes around."

Jack walked towards Kate, looking a little puzzled, and sat down beside her. She didn't look up, but her fingers were nervously twitching the loose string now, and based on her tense posture, Jack was sure she regretted her question. Kate didn't often confide her worries, so he knew this must have really been bothering her. He hated to see her looking uncomfortable, but he wasn't about to drop the subject before at least trying to ease her worries.

"Kate, are you asking me if I think you… _deserve_ this?"

She nodded but didn't look at him.

Jack looked a little incredulous. In his profession, he had seen a lot of bad things happen to good people; no rhyme, no reason. Shaking his head, he said, "Kate, that's crazy. This isn't your fault; some things just happen. There's nothing you could have done to--"

"You don't know that, Jack," Kate interrupted, her voice breaking as she said his name. "I've done terrible things. You just don't know…" She looked up at him then, a single tear escaping down her freckled cheek.

He reached out and gently wiped it away with his thumb, his hand lingering on her face. "I know everything I need to know."

Kate smiled then, and he continued to look at her for a few moments, feeling torn between being Jack the doctor and Jack the man. It was usually easy for him to separate the two, but something indescribable about Kate's eyes-- about the way she looked at him-- blurred the line in a way that both confused and excited him. He was willing to be whatever she needed; he just wasn't sure what that was.

Slowly, he lowered his hand, but Kate caught it in both of her own. "Thank you," she whispered. Then, pulling him towards her, she released his hand and encircled her arms around his chest in a tentative hug. It took Jack by surprise, but he hesitated only a fraction of a second before reaching his arms around her small frame and pulling her closer. Kate reflexively squeezed him tighter and rested her cheek against his warm chest.

Jack didn't know how long they remained like that, content in one another's silence, but eventually he felt Kate's breathing slow and her body relax. Being careful not to wake her, he laid her gently back onto the pillow and drew the blanket up around her shoulders.

He sat there with her as night fell, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest as she slept. He wasn't sure if he stayed for her or for himself… but he knew he couldn't leave.


	15. Part 15

**A/N: Yes, I should definitely be studying for my Contracts final right now, but I had to get the J/K/S angst out of my system first ;) Thanks for all the great reviews and suggestions you've been sending, and I really appreciate those of you who have said you're suggesting my story to your friends, too. Very cool ;) Hope you enjoy the chapter, and the new ep on Wednesday, too! (FINALLY!)**

* * *

Kate yawned and opened her eyes in the low light of dawn. The caves were always chilly in the morning, but it wasn't usually a problem because Jack was in the habit of putting more kindling on the fire every few hours throughout the night. But it was distinctly colder this morning, and Kate turned towards the fire, puzzled.

It hadn't gone out completely, but the embers were slowly dying and it probably wouldn't last much longer. Jack was sitting near it, and Kate opened her mouth to remind him to throw a few more logs onto it, but she stopped abruptly when she realized his eyes were closed. His posture made him look as though he'd been sitting awake all night and had fallen asleep accidentally. He was reclined slightly against the wall of the cave with his knees drawn up toward his chest and his arms hanging casually over top of them.

Kate looked at him in wonder; in all the weeks they'd been on the island, and after all the recent nights she'd spent in the caves, she had never _really_ seen him sleep. He had admitted to her once in passing that he didn't sleep well because he was worrying about keeping everyone safe, but she had known before that anyway-- the tired lines on his face gave him away. It pained her now to see that, even when he was asleep, he didn't seem able to escape the pressures he faced during the day. His jaw was clenched tightly and his brow was furrowed, as if he was fighting the rest he so desperately needed.

Kate had realized after the first few days on the island that Jack wasn't very good at taking care of himself. It struck her as odd that someone so in tune with the needs of others could be so blind to his own. At first glance, it might present as arrogance; as though Jack considered himself above things like sleep and proper nutrition and all the things that other people needed. But Kate knew better, she saw it for what it really was-- Jack was punishing himself.

She had witnessed first-hand the guilt he took on when anything bad happened, the utter devastation he felt when he wasn't able to save someone. When Joanna had drowned, when Claire had been kidnapped, when they had found Charlie hung in the jungle… Kate had seen a desperation in Jack on each of those occasions that simply made her heart break. But as far as she could tell, those events had only been shallow pools in his psyche, drying up a few days later after he felt he had exacted enough penance from himself. Kate didn't worry about them anymore. What really troubled her was that she was pretty sure that, buried somewhere within Jack, there was a deep well of guilt; one that never healed, never let him be at peace. It was the reason that he overworked himself every day, only to find his conscience punishing him afterward with sleepless nights, too. It was the reason that he put the needs of everyone else before his own, and the reason that he always looked a little guilty when he caught himself in a rare moment of happiness. Kate had seen how much fun he'd had the day Hurley unveiled the golf course-- she'd never seen him more relaxed. But although the others had organized nearly a dozen more tournaments since then, Jack never went with them.

Kate desperately wished he would confide in her, let her ease his burdens a little. She wanted to tell him that whatever it was that he was blaming himself for, he had suffered long enough. She could never really say those things to him, though. He would put the walls up before she even finished her sentence.

So instead, Kate had resolved to wait for him to come to her. She would work on trusting him, opening up to him, and hope that he would one day be able to do the same. She hadn't made it easy, she knew, but lately she had seen more emotion in Jack's eyes when he looked at her. He was beginning to show her more of himself, and Kate felt like a kid on Christmas morning, eager to peel off all the layers and see what was inside…

Rather than risk waking Jack by noisily throwing more logs onto the fire herself, Kate reached for the suit jacket he had left next to her just in case she came down with the chills again. Putting it on, she wrapped it tightly around herself, once again inhaling Jack's scent on the heavy fabric. It overwhelmed her senses, and just the memory of the night she had fallen asleep in his protective embrace seemed to warm her from within.

Looking over at Jack, she wondered if he was cold, too. She spotted a blue airline blanket folded up near his suitcases and crept quietly over to it. She slowly unfolded it, arguing with herself inwardly. She didn't want to wake Jack up because he definitely needed to rest, but after the way he had taken care of her over the last few days, so gently and with such patience, Kate felt an urge to repay him in some way. She held her breath as she neared his still form, taking deliberate steps so as to avoid kicking any of the rocks jutting out of the cave floor. Standing before him, she frowned again at the pain and pressure evident on his face. Carefully, she draped the blanket across him, hoping that it would help in some small way. Then, retracing her steps back to her makeshift bed, Kate buried herself under the blue airline blanket, and took one last look at Jack before dozing off again herself.

* * *

When Jack awoke, he knew immediately that he had slept longer than he had intended. The angle of the sunlight pouring into the mouth of the caves told him that it was long past the time he usually made his first water delivery to the beach, and the fire in front of him was completely extinguished.

He cursed under his breath and ran a weary hand over his face. As he stood, the blanket that had been covering him fell to the ground, and he wondered at how it had gotten there. _Kate_. Smiling in spite of himself, he glanced over at her. She looked peaceful, curled up in a ball under the blankets with one hand under her head. Jack could see the cuff of his jacket covering her petite wrist and most of her hand, and he smiled involuntarily, liking the idea of Kate sleeping in something of his. Soon enough, though, the voice of reason in his head reminded him that she was probably only wearing it because he'd neglected to keep the fire going and she hadn't wanted to freeze. _Jackass_, he whispered to himself, feeling as though he deserved Sawyer's favorite nickname for him.

Jack walked quietly to the dwindling wood pile, making a mental note that he'd have to chop more later. He arranged several pieces in the makeshift fire pit and added some leaves underneath to jump-start the blaze. Pulling a book of matches from his back pocket, he shook his head at his own stupidity once again. He couldn't afford to let the fire go out anymore; he was nearly out of matches.

Once he was convinced that the fire was burning thoroughly, Jack collected the empty water bottles from around the cave, careful not to wake Kate as he reached for the one nearest to her. Throwing them into a bag, he made his way towards the water fall. He was already late getting to the beach and he normally filled his own bottles last, but he wanted to leave Kate with enough to last her the day. He still didn't know exactly how to treat her condition, but she seemed to be slowly improving every day now. There wasn't much Jack could do for her with his limited supplies, but he could at least make sure she got enough fluids and protein.

When he returned to the infirmary cave Kate was stirring, and she opened her eyes at the sound of his light footsteps.

"Morning," she said lazily, as he set two bottles of water near her. "Are you just getting back from the beach?"

"Actually, I haven't even been there yet," Jack replied, almost sheepishly. "I got kind of a late start today. Thanks for the, uh…" He gestured nervously toward the spot where he'd been sleeping.

"No problem," Kate said quietly. "You looked like you needed it."

He smiled quickly then looked away before skillfully changing the subject.

"How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I think," Kate replied.

Jack bent down and put one hand to her forehead. "No fever right now; that's a good sign."

"Listen, I was hoping I could try a short walk today?" Kate asked hesitantly. "With your supervision, of course."

Jack nodded his assent. "It'll have to be later on because I really do need to get to the beach. And collect more wood, too. But yeah, if you feel up to it I think it would be a good idea."

"Good," Kate replied happily. "It'll be nice to be out in the sun for awhile."

"Not for too long," Jack cautioned, slipping easily into doctor mode. "This tropical sun will zap your strength pretty quickly and you don't want…" He trailed off, noticing that Kate's smile had faded.

"But a little while will definitely be okay," he relented with a smile.

Kate smiled back as Jack stood and lifted his bag easily onto his broad shoulders.

"I'll probably be gone awhile, but I'm going to send Hurley by with some fish and fruit, okay?"

"My favorite," Kate replied sarcastically.

"And Sun will be here at the caves if you need anything."

"I'll be fine, Jack, really," Kate assured him with a smile. "Go do what you need to do."

Jack nodded and turned to leave, throwing one last smile over his shoulder at Kate as she sat wrapped up in his jacket. Somehow just the thought of a walk with her later made the bag on Jack's back seem lighter than usual.

* * *

Sawyer looked up from his book as a form emerged from the jungle, taking off his glasses to get a better look. _Just the Doc, _he thought to himself, more disappointed than he cared to admit. Word from the caves was that Freckles was feeling better, and he kept wondering when she'd be moving back to the beach. Sawyer felt a strange anxiety about seeing her again. Hopefully, she wouldn't mention that flower fiasco. What had he been thinking? Bringing her a flower like she was his date to the damn Senior prom or something? It was one thing to play that card when he was working a con, but since when did he make sincere gestures?

If only Kate had never seen that letter. That's where the trouble began, really. He had shown it to her to scare her, to make her believe he was dangerous, dark. Leave it to Freckles to piece the truth together and ruin his whole façade. She had reopened a deep wound, and ever since then it was like she was bleeding him dry. Every time she looked at him, she seemed to be reminding him that she could see right through him, see past the identity he had appropriated for himself to the man underneath.

It was unnerving, but part of him liked it, liked the modicum of honesty between them. It was more than he'd given anyone else in a long time, anyway. At first, he thought it would be fleeting, like he could cleanse it from his system as the stab wound healed and things would go back to normal. But that had proven to be difficult. Every time he tried to shut that door, Freckles found a way to step a little further inside. And the worst part was, he wanted to let her in.

_At least I don't have it as bad as Hero,_ Sawyer thought to himself, watching Jack as he delivered water to the survivors. That guy had been wrapped around her little finger since Day One, and everyone knew it. Sad, really, 'cause no way was she Doc's type. Poor guy just didn't know it yet.

Sawyer grinned when he noticed that Jack had been stopped by one of the survivors and appeared to be examining something on his back. Sawyer usually tried to steer clear of that guy; he was always complaining about something, a rash or a scrape or a splinter… some deadly tropical disease that never seemed to kill him. Yep, Jack would be stuck with ol' Medical Marvel for quite awhile if Sawyer was any judge.

Closing his book, he tapped it lightly against one palm, considering his options. He could drive himself crazy waiting around to see when Freckles would come back to the beach, or he could take a quick trip to the caves while Jack was occupied and see for himself if she really was getting better.

_Well, no time like the present,_ he decided. And throwing his bag over one shoulder, he made his way toward the tree line...


	16. Part 16

**A/N: Thanks again to Foxygirl33 for taking time out of her crazy schedule to edit for me! Excellent comments and suggestions, as always ;)**

**I loved the finale, but this summer hiatus is gonna be killer! I'm relying on fanfic to sustain me, so all you Jaters out there... GET WRITING!**

* * *

Kate sat picking at what was left of the fruit Hurley had delivered to her, wondering what she was going to do with herself until Jack returned. Hurley had mentioned that another golf tournament was beginning that morning, which accounted for the strange quiet at the caves. Everyone but Kate was out enjoying the sun, it seemed. She hadn't even heard Walt and Vincent playing, which meant another round of backgammon was probably out of the question, too.

Kate let out a defeated sigh and reclined back against the airline seat, willing herself to rest. As tempting as it was to get up and test her strength a little, she knew she should hold out until Jack came back. After all, the more rested she was, the longer they'd be able to walk together, and Kate was looking forward to that immensely. Not only would it be great to get some fresh air and exercise, but the prospect of some alone time with Jack was a strong incentive, too.

Not that she had reason to complain-- she'd had quite a monopoly on Jack's time since she'd gotten sick. He'd been so attentive and sweet, and in the back of her mind Kate wanted to believe that meant something. It was a struggle to remind herself that she was probably reading too much into it, that he was just doing his job. He was always committed to his patients, and she doubted he was treating her any differently than he would anyone else in her situation. But it was a pleasant fiction to think that he might be motivated by something more than the Hippocratic Oath, and Kate was beginning to wish she wasn't getting better just yet. She would miss Jack's special attention when it was gone…

She sat up anxiously when she heard footsteps approaching the mouth of the cave, smiling in anticipation of Jack's return. But the face that greeted her was Sawyer's, not Jack's, and her smile turned to a look of surprise.

"Mornin', Sunshine," he drawled playfully. "Visitin' hours start yet?"

"Sawyer!" Kate exclaimed in surprise. He was the last person she expected to see.

"Expectin' someone else, huh?" Sawyer remarked ruefully, surveying the way her face had changed when she'd realized it was him.

"Well…yes, actually," Kate replied with a smile. "But I'm glad you're here, I'm bored out of my mind."

"Doc still keepin' you locked away in here then?" Sawyer asked, sitting down on a rock opposite Kate's bed.

"Most of the time," Kate sighed. "But, I'm allowed to take a walk today," she finished, her face brightening.

"That so?" Sawyer asked, raising one eyebrow. "Looks like I came at the right time then. You feel up to it now?"

Kate paused. She wanted nothing more than to get out into the sunshine, and Sawyer was being uncharacteristically nice lately, but she knew she would regret not waiting for Jack.

"Well, um…," she stammered. "I think Jack wanted me to wait until he got back. You know, so he could check me over first."

_Shoulda known,_ Sawyer thought to himself. But he wasn't going to give up that easily--

"I saw old Jacko down at the beach, Freckles, and I'd say he's gonna have his hands full for awhile," Sawyer said in a slow drawl. "Not gonna be any sunshine left by the time he gets back here."

Kate looked thoughtful for a moment. Her eyes traveled around the cave and fell onto the dwindling pile of wood near the fire.

_Jack has to get more wood, too, before he'll be back,_ she thought to herself, remembering their conversation earlier that morning. Really, she was starting to feel a little selfish about expecting Jack to set aside even more time for her when he already had so much on his plate. And, of course, he would never tell her he didn't have time to walk with her; Jack was too polite for that. _Maybe she'd be doing him a favor by walking with Sawyer instead…_

Sawyer saw the wheels turning and held his breath as he waited for Kate's answer.

"Okay," Kate nodded, somewhat hesitantly. "I mean, Jack's busy and it's not too hot yet, so I guess now would be a good time, right?"

Sawyer grinned and nodded. "And lucky for you, I happen to have plenty of leisure time today."

"You mean _every_ day," Kate reminded him with a pointed look.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sawyer said, standing. "We goin' or not?" He walked toward Kate and offered a hand to help her to her feet.

She took his outstretched hand and stood slowly, "We're going. But not too far, and we better bring some water, too."

"Whatever the lady wants," Sawyer replied in mock courtesy as he loaded the bottles next to Kate's bed into his bag.

"Where to, then?"

"Well," Kate began, "I seem to remember you promising to show me where you found that flower the other day…"

Sawyer flinched and turned slightly red at this, a reaction which was not lost on Kate. _Of course she had to go and mention that,_ Sawyer thought regretfully, though a small part of him was pleased that she'd remembered. Still, he preferred to forget that "incident" altogether.

"I think that's a little further than you outta be walkin' right now, Sweetheart," Sawyer replied, hoping she bought it. "And we both know Doc will have my head if I bring you back here all worn out."

Kate eyed him a little suspiciously, but nodded her head in assent.

"Okay. I don't really care where we go anyway, as long as I get some sun," Kate replied, walking slowly toward the mouth of the cave.

As Sawyer followed behind her, he couldn't help but notice how much thinner she looked compared to just a few days ago. He stopped to think for the first time what he would do if she passed out on him again, and began to wonder if this walk was a good idea after all...

* * *

Jack quickened his pace along the path to the caves, thankful that he had finally managed to assuage the worries of the island's resident hypochondriac, as well as check in with several other patients at the beach. Unfortunately, he still had an afternoon of chopping wood to look forward to, but he wanted to check on Kate first and make sure that she had some lunch. She had seemed to be doing fine earlier, but considering how quickly her condition had changed over the past few days, he didn't want to leave her alone for too long. Besides, it was always nice to walk back to his cave to find Kate waiting for him after a trying morning at the beach, even if she _was_ only there because she was sick.

He heard laughter as he approached the caves, but wasn't close enough to see who it was yet. It sounded like… _Sawyer_? Jack's shoulders immediately tensed; there was only one person at the caves that Sawyer would be laughing with.

Slowing his stride, he took a few deep breaths and tried to remind himself that it was really no concern of his who Sawyer laughed with anyway. But when he heard Kate's distinct laughter echoing Sawyer's, he felt an unmistakable pang of jealousy. He was immediately annoyed at himself for it, and vowed to approach whatever scene he was about to walk in on as Kate's doctor, and not as her… whatever else he might be.

As he emerged from the dense foliage of the jungle into the clearing at the mouth of the caves, he saw Kate and Sawyer sitting side by side against the outer wall. They were no longer laughing, but both were smiling and talking animatedly. Kate looked happier than she'd been since she got sick, and while Jack was overjoyed that she was doing so much better, he hated that it was Sawyer on the receiving end of those smiles.

Neither one of them seemed to be aware of his presence, and he cleared his throat a little more loudly than necessary as he walked toward them.

"Jack, hey," Kate said, surprise evident in her voice.

Sawyer was already imagining how Jack probably felt about the scene in front of him, and the corners of his mouth turned up in a sly smile as he acknowledged the other man. "Doc."

"This is… unexpected," Jack began. "What are you doing out here, Kate?"

"Just getting some fresh air," she answered, before quickly adding, "And I'm in the shade, see?"

Jack nodded and knelt down in front of her, trying to ignore Sawyer's eyes following his every move. "You look flushed," he said, lifting a hand to her forehead and keeping it there a little longer than necessary.

"Well, blame that on me, Jacko," Sawyer drawled. "We had ourselves a little _workout_ in the jungle not too long ago."

Kate rolled her eyes and shot Sawyer a death-look before immediately turning back to Jack, who was looking at Sawyer with something akin to contempt, though he had remained silent.

"What he means is, we went for a walk."

Kate had hoped this explanation would lessen the tension Jack was exuding, but the flash in his hazel eyes as he looked back at her told her that it had done no such thing. He looked down for a moment and then stood up.

"Have you had any lunch yet, Kate?" he asked, trying to keep his tone neutral. "It's after two."

"Um, well, we had some fruit in the jungle," she answered, knowing he wouldn't like that answer.

"Were you climbing trees, Kate?" Jack asked, in a louder tone than he had intended.

"No, of course not!" Kate said quickly. "Sawyer did."

To Jack's dismay, a smile seemed to be pulling at her lips again, and she suppressed a laugh as she looked over at Sawyer.

"Don't you start on me again, Freckles," Sawyer warned in a joking tone. "Just 'cause I ain't a damn monkey like you…"

Kate continued to giggle as Sawyer glared unconvincingly at her, but when she glanced back at Jack she stopped at once. He was not happy with her.

"You need protein, Kate, remember?" Jack continued, trying his best to ignore the fact that Kate and Sawyer seemed to be sharing inside jokes now. "Come back inside and I'll get you some fish."

"Jack--," Kate began, in a tone of protest as she glanced over at Sawyer.

"Doc's right, Freckles," Sawyer said, wanting to diffuse the situation before Jack completely flew off the handle. "I gotta be goin' anyway."

Kate looked at him and nodded before taking the hand Jack had extended to her. She weaved slightly as she stood, and Jack immediately moved in to steady her with a firm hand on her hip.

"I'm fine, Jack," Kate said, annoyed at her own condition once again.

He didn't answer her, but sighed in exasperation and threw an angry look back at Sawyer as he helped Kate slowly into the cave.

Sawyer smirked at Jack's retreating figure, pleasantly surprised that he'd gotten to push Hero's buttons a little, but disappointed that Kate would likely be the one to suffer because of it…


	17. Part 17

**A/N: Whew!I've had this chapter ready for weeks now, but I couldn't login to this site to post it! I think all the kinks are worked out now, though, so without further ado... ;)**

* * *

"You should sit down and drink some water," Jack said as he guided Kate toward her bed.

"I'm fine, Jack," Kate insisted, holding her ground and refusing to sit down. "I'm really okay."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that," Jack replied in a low tone, raising a hand to her forehead again.

Kate sighed in frustration as she stood before him, arms crossed defensively across her chest. This posture made her wrists inaccessible, so Jack moved two fingers gently to her neck to check her pulse. He focused his eyes at a point just beyond her shoulder as he counted the beats, never meeting her eyes, though he could feel her staring into his.

"Jack," Kate began in an apologetic tone. "I'm sorry I upset you. But I know my limits, and I wouldn't have gone with him if I didn't feel up to it."

Jack sighed, dropping his hand and stepping away slightly. "Kate, less than a week ago you couldn't even stand. You've had a lingering fever for days, as well as frequent dizzy spells, both of which leave you more vulnerable to heatstroke or worse." Jack's voice was rising as he continued, "It's not just a friendly suggestion when I tell you to rest and eat right and stay out of the sun!"

"You're the one who said I could take a walk today, Jack!" Kate replied, her voice rising to match his as she began to resent the lecture.

"Yes! Under my supervision, Kate," Jack replied in exasperation. That was the deal. I'm not about to let you go gallivanting off into the jungle with _Sawyer_ of all people when there's no telling how you're going to feel from one minute to the next!" He paused, trying to collect himself. He hadn't intended to yell at her, and she was looking a little pale and breathing a little faster than he would have liked.

"Look, Kate," he continued in as calm a tone as he could manage. "The poison left your whole system unstable, and it's not a good idea to push it, that's all I'm saying."

She was still crossing her arms in front of her, and the set of her jaw told him she was angry, but he felt compelled to continue anyway. He had to make sure he was getting through to her.

"So, considering your condition, you can't let Sawyer-- or anyone else-- talk you into doing anything that might reverse the progress you've made so far."

"He didn't talk me into it, Jack," Kate replied bitterly. "I make my own decisions."

"Yeah, well, your track record doesn't speak very highly of your skills in that area, Kate."

Kate felt the sting of his words immediately, and the tears started to form in her eyes before she could look away. She acknowledged to herself that he was right; she'd made a lot of bad choices in her life. But she had never expected that kind of low blow from Jack, and she couldn't understand where it had come from. The more she thought about it, the more hurt and angry she became, and she fought to hold back the tears that were threatening to overflow at any second.

Jack stopped breathing the moment the words left his lips. Hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do, and he hated himself for losing control and saying something he didn't really mean. What made it worse was that he knew about the guilt she already carried over things she had done in the past; she had shared it with him only a few days ago in what he knew was a rare moment of vulnerability for her. And here he was, using it against her. He felt sick to his stomach as he looked at the effect it was having on her-- she still had her arms crossed, hugging herself tightly as she stared at the ground. He couldn't see her face, but he could tell she was crying, or close to it. She was breathing quickly and she had started to shake slightly.

"Kate--," Jack began quietly. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off and backed away from him.

"Don't," she said, her voice wavering as she put up a hand to stop him from approaching her again.

She looked at him then, tears running down both cheeks now, and her outstretched hand visibly shaking, and Jack felt as if he'd been stabbed. He opened his mouth to say something to her… anything… but he couldn't find the right words.

Although Kate was staring at Jack, she wasn't really seeing him. Her head was spinning, and her vision swam with the tears she couldn't seem to stop. She continued to back slowly away from him, reaching out toward the cave wall for support, and finally leaning heavily against it. Her knees gave way without warning, and she slid to the ground, thankful that her back was braced against the wall.

Jack was at her side immediately. He was saying something, but Kate couldn't focus on the words. She felt him put a bottle of water into her hand, but she couldn't seem to grip it, and it fell to her side, spilling onto the rocky floor.

Jack's hands were both on her face, turning her chin to look at him, but Kate's vision was narrowing slowly into blackness, and Jack watched aghast as her eyes rolled back and she went limp in his arms.


	18. Part 18

**A/N: Hey everybody! Long time no update, I know. (You may commence throwing tomatoes at any time). Unfortunately, it couldn't be helped-- I had to move and start a new job at the spur of the moment, and I was without internet access for quite awhile. It was terrible! But hopefully there are still a few of you out there reading this, lol. And I certainly hope you think it was worth the wait!**

**Thanks, as always, to Foxygirl33 for the great suggestions :)**

**Oh, and since a few lines of dialogue are borrowed from the movie "Reality Bites"--**

**Disclaimer: "Reality Bites" is the property of Universal Pictures and Jersey Films. No infringement intended.**

* * *

"Why don't you go outside and get some air, Jack?" Sun suggested quietly from Kate's side. "Her breathing is steady and she seems to be resting comfortably now. I'll watch over her while you're gone."

Jack continued pacing nervously back and forth across the cave floor, a single muscle twitching under his tightly clenched jaw. He showed no sign of taking Sun's advice. She could sense determination and defiance in his posture, but every once in awhile, something akin to desperation flashed in his eyes. His face was grim and she could see the unspoken anguish he was feeling. His usually calm exterior seemed to be bubbling over with emotion, with pain. But Sun knew it wasn't a physical pain plaguing him.

She couldn't be sure of what exactly had taken place, but she had heard shouts coming from the infirmary cave for several minutes before Jack had yelled for her to bring more water into the cave. She had rushed in to find Kate sprawled, pale and unconscious, across Jack's lap, and together they had carried her to the make-shift bed.

Jack had barely uttered a word as they worked to cool Kate in an attempt to wake her up. He moved at a frenzied pace and, as there was only so much they could do with their scarce medical supplies, he had taken to walking off his frustration up and down the length of the cave. The air around him was charged with nervous energy and Sun was beginning to worry about what might happen if he didn't find a better outlet for his emotion soon.

She knew from experience that cautious suggestions would have no effect on Jack in the state he was in, so she steeled herself for a battle of wills before speaking again, more forcefully this time.

"Jack, please, you really need--"

"I heard you the first time," was his acid response.

But Sun wouldn't be deterred. "Then what are you still doing in here?"

Jack stopped pacing and stared at her for a moment, seeming to consider whether it was really worth an argument. Hands resting wearily upon his hips, he let out a long sigh and nodded his head slightly in surrender. "Send someone to get me the _minute_ there's any change."

He brushed past the concerned faces waiting for him outside the infirmary cave and continued walking until he reached the mouth of the cave, stopping only briefly to take a deep breath before continuing out into the jungle. He didn't want to be too far away from Kate, but he knew it was only a matter of time before someone followed him out of the caves and started asking questions, and he really didn't feel up to talking about what had happened just yet.

What _had_ happened? Jack wasn't even sure he knew. What in the world had possessed him to say something so hurtful to Kate? He had lost control of his emotions and hurt Kate in the process, and it didn't matter whether it was due to anger or hurt or worry. _Or jealousy_, he admitted to himself. There was no excuse. She had already been weak from her walk with Sawyer-- why couldn't he have just recognized that and kept his mouth shut?

_Sawyer._

Just the thought of him made Jack's blood boil. Kate's relapse could have been completely avoided if it hadn't been for that son-of-a-bitch interfering. It had been incredibly irresponsible-- not to mention arrogant-- to think that _he_ could make decisions about what was best for her. _Who the hell does he think he is? _Jack muttered under his breath.

Somehow, Jack found himself on the path to the beach. And he knew exactly where he was going. If Sawyer wanted to play games, fine. But Jack was going to make sure he knew _exactly_ what was at stake. Sawyer hadn't been there to see Kate cold, or scared, or so sick she could barely move. He hadn't witnessed the pain on her face as the poison had ravaged her body. He hadn't been there to hear her blaming herself, thinking she deserved all this…

Jack's temper began to cool as he remembered the days and nights he had spent with Kate. He hadn't just watched her suffer-- he had suffered _with_ her. Her pain had become his as well; a strange bond that made him feel even closer to her. There was something there between them, and although Jack hesitated to give it a name, he was through denying it.

By the time he arrived at the beach, thoughts of Kate had superceded any plans he'd had in mind for Sawyer, and he wanted nothing more than to get back to her and make things right. He was fairly certain that she'd recover physically, but the hurt he'd seen in her eyes-- the hurt he himself had caused-- was a kind of pain that he wasn't sure would simply heal with time. And as much as he wanted to see her again, he had absolutely no idea what he would say.

Torn, Jack hesitated at the edge of the jungle, wanting to turn back to the caves, but unsure whether he ought to give it more time. For all he knew, Kate hated him at the moment. And frankly, he wouldn't blame her. But she was safe with Sun there, so maybe he should just give her some space…

It was Sawyer who made the decision for him. Jack watched with narrowed eyes as he sauntered up the beach, slowly closing the space between them, and clearly itching for a confrontation. He stopped a few feet in front of Jack, squaring his shoulders and flashing a characteristic smirk.

"You come all the way down here to teach me a lesson, Cowboy?" Sawyer drawled. "I was kinda hopin' you'd bring Freckles along."

"I don't think she's quite ready to move back to the beach yet," Jack replied in a measured tone.

"She's not ready, or you're not ready to let her, Doc?"

Jack had an momentary flash of himself wiping the smirk off Sawyer's face with a well-placed right hook, but he willed himself to stay in control. He wasn't going to let Sawyer bate him this time.

"Well, considering she's been unconscious for nearly an hour, I'd say the former."

Surprise registered on Sawyer's face for an instant before turning to a poorly-masked concern. "What do you mean unconscious?"

"What I mean, Sawyer, is that after your little jaunt in the jungle, she was exhausted and feverish and poorly nourished, and she passed out in my arms," Jack replied without missing a beat. His own guilt tugged at him, but he refused to acknowledge it for the moment. This-- right now-- was about Sawyer's mistake, not his own.

Sawyer stared at him for a moment, torn between being worried about Kate's condition and being pissed as hell that Jack was blaming him for it. On the whole, anger was an emotion he was much more comfortable with, and his eyes narrowed as he continued to return Jack's gaze.

"She sure as hell seemed alright to me, Doc. Until you showed up and upset her, that is."

"She was anything but alright, Sawyer." Jack's tone was becoming even more accusatory now. "And you would have noticed that if you ever took the time to think about someone other than yourself."

"You lecturin' me, Jack?" Sawyer's tone was dangerous. "You sure you wanna do that?"

The words struck a nerve in Jack; it was just like something his father would have said. Fists clenched at his side, he moved a step closer to Sawyer, disregarding both the threat and Sawyer's menacing posture. The tension was palpable, and Jack held his breath for a few seconds before answering in a low voice.

"What I want, Sawyer, is for you to understand that Kate is sick. She needs to rest, and stay out of the sun, and eat three meals a day. And she needs you to leave her alone."

Jack turned away and took a few steps back toward the caves before Sawyer's voice stopped him.

"You don't know _what_ she needs." It was a challenge.

Slowly, Jack turned and met Sawyer's flinty eyes. "I think I know what she needs in a way that you never will."

And with those words echoing in the air between them, Jack turned and stalked back into the jungle.


	19. Part 19

**A/N: Alright, this one has been a long time coming. Thanks to Foxygirl33 for the excellent suggestions and for easing my pre-updating nerves! Hope you all enjoy :)**

* * *

When Kate awoke she was surrounded by near-complete darkness. Moving her eyes slowly back and forth, she took a few seconds to examine her surroundings. Her brain felt a little fuzzy and she didn't even remember deciding to go to sleep. She sensed a glow somewhere off to her left, and the sounds of dry wood popping and crackling told her it was a fire.

Kate knew she was in the caves and, judging by both the darkness and the cool breeze raising goose bumps on her bare arms, it was the middle of the night. This should have come as no surprise; she'd been sleeping at the caves for days. But then why did she feel so foggy and disoriented?

Puzzled, she turned her head slightly on the pillow and noticed for the first time that she wasn't alone. There, a few feet to her right, sat Jack with his elbows propped up on his knees, head in his hands. His eyes weren't visible and, at first, she thought he was asleep. But then she noticed the slow movement of his palms, the heels of his strong hands rubbing slow circles into his temples. He seemed agitated, tense. She thought for a moment that she should say something so that he would know she was awake. But it wasn't often that she got a chance to observe him like this, and she stayed silent, wondering why he wasn't asleep.

* * *

He had mentally kicked himself all the way back to the caves. Had he really just said that to Sawyer? Actually voiced a claim on Kate? It had seemed right in the moment, to remind Sawyer that he had put her in danger, and to imply that there was something between himself and Kate, something greater than whatever she had with Sawyer.

In truth, Jack had no idea how Kate felt about Sawyer. And irrespective of whatever that relationship might be, Jack was fairly certain that he had effectively ruined anything that he himself might have had with Kate with his callous, insensitive comment just a few hours earlier. Since she had gotten sick, Jack felt as though they had moved into new territory in their relationship. Kate had opened up to him more than ever before, and he knew it wasn't easy for her to get close to people, to share so many aspects of herself with someone else. But he also knew that he had stopped this progress in one sickening instant, and he doubted she would forget it anytime soon.

When he'd reached the caves Sun had briefed him on Kate's condition: she was still in a deep sleep, but she was breathing steadily and didn't seem to have a fever at this point. Jack thanked Sun and watched her leave the cave, throwing one last concerned look over her shoulder.

He had stood in uncertainty for several minutes, watching Kate sleep. She looked peaceful, calm. It was quite a juxtaposition to the way she had looked earlier, angry and sick and hurt… Part of him thought he should ask Sun to come back, so that she would be the one there when Kate awoke. He was afraid that seeing him there would cause her to run, and it was important for her to stay at the caves awhile longer to regain her strength.

Finally, though, his own need to be there with her and to apologize as best he could propelled him forward, and he settled himself down at her side with a deep sigh. She continued to sleep as the sun disappeared behind the tree line and the stars appeared against the black sky. Jack never moved, simply watched her and tried to find the right words to say all the things he wanted to say to her… the things he _had_ to say to her. Every muscle in his body ached with the tension of the day and a persistent throbbing behind his eyes grew stronger and stronger. He thought vaguely how easy it would be to pop a few aspirin from his supplies, and instantly chided himself for thinking so selfishly. Instead, he pressed the heels of his hands into his aching head, hoping that stimulating the muscles there would help relieve some of the pressure.

* * *

He didn't know how long Kate had been watching him before he had realized she was awake, but when he looked up she was staring at him with those clear, beautiful eyes and a look of concern on her face.

"Hey," she said in a small voice.

"Hey," Jack returned, taken rather aback. Everything he had prepared to say to her seemed suddenly erased from his mind and he watched her, anxious to gauge her mood.

She gave him a small smile that filled Jack with momentary hope. Maybe things would be okay between them... Maybe she didn't hate him after all…

"How are you feeling?" he asked hesitantly.

"Fine. Good, actually; just a little disoriented for some reason. Was I asleep long?"

It hit him like a blow to the face: she didn't remember what had happened earlier.

"Uh, yeah, for about six hours or so."

"Wow, I don't even remember being tired," Kate replied.

Jack opened his mouth to explain, but hesitated. Not only had he hurt the one person on the island that he felt close to, but now he had to remind her of it all over again.

"Kate, you uh… you actually passed out again."

"I did?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah. You went for a walk with Sawyer earlier, and afterwards--"

He didn't need to finish. Jack watched as the color rose in Kate's cheeks and her eyes grew dark as the events of the day came crashing back to her. She turned her face away from him and stared at the cave ceiling, trying to process everything that had happened earlier.

She felt stupid for not remembering her fight with Jack, but was also sorry that she did now. It wasn't such a terrible thing he had said to her, really. In fact, it was accurate…true. The thing that had gotten her into so much trouble over the years was, after all, her poor judgment, right? Kate had accepted the blame for the direction her life had taken a long time ago, had accepted that people would hold her past against her. But it hurt more than she had ever imagined to hear it from Jack…

Kate felt her chest tightening and tears welled in her eyes. She took a shaky breath and tried to stay in control. She could feel Jack's eyes on her, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him, even when he uttered her name, pain evident in his voice.

"Kate… I, uh… I just want you to know that I didn't mean what I said today. And I know you're probably asking yourself why, uh, why I said it then…." He paused and cleared his throat nervously before continuing. "The thing is, I've been asking myself that same question all night, and there's really only one explanation-- I was, uh, jealous."

Jack let out a nervous laugh, feeling ridiculous for having admitted it. But now that he had begun, he needed to finish what he had started. If he didn't say these things to her now, he might never get a second chance.

"It was great to see you feeling so strong this morning, you know? To see you smiling. And I was, uh… I was really looking forward to taking that walk with you."

Kate turned to look at him, finally, but her expression was unreadable. Jack's eyes shifted uncertainly from her face to the ground as he continued.

"So when I saw you with Sawyer, I just kind of… Well, I didn't handle it the way I should have." He gave a wry smile and licked his lips before continuing.

"And I'm sorry about that. Obviously, you have every right to spend time with him. I mean, I know you two are close, so…" he nodded and looked down, jaw set, seemingly unable to finish the sentence. He absently plucked a small twig from the ground in front of him, twirling it in his fingers for a few moments. Kate wasn't sure he would go on.

But when Jack raised his eyes back up to meet hers, Kate saw his determination and knew he wasn't finished yet. She held her breath as he continued.

"So what I'm trying to say, Kate, is uh… is that I care about you very much. And I never meant to hurt you."

Not only did the words themselves surprise Kate, but his genuine tone and the emotion evident in his eyes as he uttered them left her speechless. She stared at him for a moment, trying to make sense of what he had just said. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"You don't have to say anything," Jack said quickly, shaking his head. "I just… wanted to make sure that was clear."

He stood and walked to the foot of her makeshift bed. "You should probably try to get some more rest now." He had slipped back into doctor-mode, his comfort zone. She could tell by the way his face had changed, hardened almost imperceptibly as he tried to erase the emotion that had been written on it only seconds before. His eyes betrayed him, though; they always did.

Kate nodded her head slightly in agreement, and Jack searched her eyes with his own for a long moment before nodding back and walking out of the cave…


	20. Part 20

**Author's Note: Well, it has been a _seriously_ long time since I updated, and most of you have probably forgotten that this story ever existed! But many thanks to the few of you who continued to review and encouraged me to update, especially all the Jaters at ABC. I never intended to leave Bitten unfinished, but I started a new job 6 months ago that has left me with very little time to write. We know so much more about Jack and Kate now, and it's hard to "forget" those things and continue writing them as they were when I started this story,but I hope this chapter feels congruent with those that came before. I'm also posting this chapter sans beta, as Foxygirl33 is currently living it up in Hawaii-- she's probably skinny-dipping with the Fox himself right now-- and I hated to bother her :) This chapter is dedicated to you, girl!**

* * *

Kate was still for quite some time, staring out ahead of her at the empty space where Jack had been. His words echoed inside her head, and she felt slightly dizzy again, though she knew it had nothing to do with her physical condition this time.

_He cares about me_, she thought to herself, trying to wrap her mind around the idea. And the fact that he had just come right out and said it was just so… _Jack_. It hadn't been anything particularly poetic or earth-shattering, but it had been beautiful in its simplicity, in its sincerity.

His words had shed light on the possibility in their relationship; something Kate never allowed herself to linger on for long. She and Jack came from different worlds, after all--something she was painfully aware of even though he had told her from the beginning that she could start over on the island. She had never been good at getting close to people, letting them in, trusting. And when she had, she had only ended up hurt. And so she had told herself from the start that there could never be anything between them.

But whether he had meant to or not, Jack had slowly eroded the walls she had put up. And in the past few days, especially, Kate had found herself becoming more comfortable with that. Jack was a good man, she knew. And for a long time now, she hadn't allowed herself to believe that he would truly be interested in someone like her. It still seemed surreal…

Kate smiled involuntarily, still hearing his words in her head and seeing the kindness and warmth in his eyes. And, suddenly, everything seemed clear. The gentle way he had taken care of her over the past week, the way he seemed willing to overlook her past, his perpetual feuding with Sawyer…

_Sawyer_. Jack had said he was jealous of him, that he knew Kate and Sawyer were close. Did he believe there was something between them? Kate could admit to herself that she was confused by Sawyer at times, and that she was probably closer to him than anyone else on the island was. But, at the same time, she knew that nothing she felt for Sawyer could compare to the way Jack made her feel. She could trust Jack. She felt safe with him, accepted. Like she could truly start over…

Suddenly, Kate sat bolt upright. _Had she really just laid there silently, stupidly, and let him walk away? What must he think? _

Throwing off the blankets and standing as quickly as she was able, Kate made her way to the mouth of the cave. She had no idea what she would say, but she needed Jack to know that she felt the same way, that she cared about him and was willing to try to change, to try to be the kind of person who could open up, who could trust him. More importantly, she wanted to be the kind of person _he_ could trust. All the feelings she had tried to ignore over the past month were coming back more strongly than ever, propelling her forward in spite of her weak legs.

She didn't see Jack anywhere in the caves. She wanted to call out to him, but was afraid of waking everyone. She quickened her pace and exited the caves, hoping he hadn't gone too far. She stopped short a few yards into the clearing and squinted into the darkness before her, listening for the sound of his footsteps. But all that greeted her was silence.

Sighing in defeat, Kate began to think that maybe he regretted what he had said. Maybe he didn't want to see her right now. The clarity she had felt moments before now seemed suspect, and she struggled to reign in the emotions that she had allowed to surface over the past few days. Taking a deep breath, she turned slowly, intent on making her way back into the caves.

And then there was Jack, in the shadows outside the cave entrance, the moonlight illuminating half his face as he stood watching her.

Kate stopped abruptly, both startled and relieved at the same time. He had been behind her the whole time, and she wondered at the fact that he hadn't called out to her when she had run franticly out of the caves, that he still hadn't spoken now. It was slightly unnerving, and she looked at him in anticipation, unsure whether to speak first and not trusting what would come out if she did.

She stared at him, breathing hard and trying to compose herself, but finding it difficult with his clear eyes looking so intently into hers. He was waiting for her to speak, she knew. He had said his piece and the ball was in her court now.

Slowly, she walked toward him, praying that she would think of the right thing to say. She had run after Jack on impulse without truly being prepared to find him, but it was now or never. And since she had never been good with words, Kate did the only thing she could think of.

He was leaning against the rock wall with his hands in his pockets, accenting the breadth of his shoulders. He didn't move as she approached him, except to lower his head to hold her gaze. His face was calm, but his eyes were a mixture of apprehension and restlessness. In one fluid movement, she stood on her toes and brought both her hands to his face, drawing his lips toward hers. She kissed him softly at first, wanting to convey everything she couldn't put into words. She felt him push himself forward away from the wall, and he leaned more deeply into her, opening his mouth to hers. Kate slid her hands from his face to his hardened chest, suddenly wanting to touch him everywhere, wanting his hands on her, too, but they remained in his pockets. Abruptly, he pulled away and took a small step back.

"Kate," he began breathlessly, "You have no idea how many times I've thought about this--"

"Me, too," she said quietly, her hands still on his shoulders.

"But right now, you're my patient. I'm your doctor, and we shouldn't--"

"No," she whispered, cutting him off. "Can't you just be Jack right now?"

She watched the internal struggle in his eyes for mere seconds before he was kissing her again, with a force that left her breathless. His strong hands were around her waist, pulling her closer and closer to him. But soon, the initial urgency in his lips turned to something more tender, and his hands slid slowly up her back and into her hair. His scent was intoxicating and Kate melted into the feeling of his body against hers, all the emotion of the past few days flooding back to her at once. It was overwhelming, and she was unable to stop the tears that came to her eyes.

With one final, gentle kiss, Jack pulled back to look at her. She met his eyes, which grew immediately full of concern when he noticed she had been crying.

"What is it?" he asked softly.

"Nothing," Kate answered quickly, embarrassed at her own sentimentality. "It's just that… I love you, Jack."

"I love you, too." He said it simply, without hesitation, the corners of his mouth turning up into the half smile he seemed always to reserve for her.

She leaned forward, laying her head against his chest, and he pulled her into a tight embrace, his chin resting atop her head. Kate suddenly felt exhausted and she leaned her weight more heavily against Jack, not trusting her legs to support her.

"I think we should get you back inside," Jack whispered.

Kate nodded against his chest and allowed him to guide her slowly back to the infirmary cave. Helping her back to the makeshift bed, he tucked the blanket around her, as he had grown accustomed to doing, and stood as if to leave.

"Where are you going?" Kate protested. "I was hoping you would… stay."

A short laugh escaped Jack and he shifted his eyes to the ground, but not before she caught the glimmer of amusement in them. "Under the circumstances, Kate, I really think you should just get some sleep."

A blush crept into Kate's cheeks and she laughed nervously as she realized what her question had sounded like. "I just meant, I was hoping you would _sleep_ here. You know, like you did before."

Jack grinned at her. "I see. Well, I guess just _sleeping_ would be okay," he said, lying down on his side so that they were face to face. "But you should know, as soon as you're feeling better, all bets are off."


End file.
